A tower-induced go-round

But to say that all class D's shouldn't have
a tower is ridiculous. To make places like Van Nuys, Pontiac, even
where I used to work, Grand Forks, ND; uncontrolled fields would make it
far more dangerous and tremendously inefficient.

People fly to North Dakota?

ducking!

I submit that if these airports are busy enough to need a control
tower, than they should merit radar. (I know some already have it,
but most do not.)

This weird mish-mash of some Class D's with, and some without radar,
makes for a pretty bizarre set of circumstances for pilots.
Personally I find it just a bit odd, and a little uncomfortable, not
knowing if I'm being controlled by Mr. Magoo with binoculars, or
George Jetson with radar.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article .com,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

I submit that if these airports are busy enough to need a control
tower, than they should merit radar. (I know some already have it,
but most do not.)

Getting radar coverage for every control tower would be quite expensive.



This weird mish-mash of some Class D's with, and some without radar,
makes for a pretty bizarre set of circumstances for pilots.
Personally I find it just a bit odd, and a little uncomfortable, not
knowing if I'm being controlled by Mr. Magoo with binoculars, or
George Jetson with radar.

Prior to 9/11, I would occasionally visit the tower at KBED on quiet mornings
(usually Sunday). They have a feed from the ASR-9 at Boston and optionally
the ASR at MHT. These radars are blinds below around 600 feet at the airport
and traffic to the southwest of KBED has to be up around 2000 feet to be
reliably visible on radar. Anyway, the controllers were clear that their job
was to visually seperate traffic and didn't like the controllers that stared
at the DBRITE instead of looking out the window.

--
Bob Noel
(gave up looking for a particular sig the lawyer will hate)

Anyway, the controllers were clear that their job
was to visually seperate traffic and didn't like the controllers that stared
at the DBRITE instead of looking out the window.

Wooo boy. I used to work with guys like that, back in the '80s. They
didn't trust us kids who were looking at a computer screen, instead of
writing the newspaper draws on clear plastic sheets with a grease
pencil. After all, it had worked for them for 50 years....
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Anyway, the controllers were clear that their job
was to visually seperate traffic and didn't like the controllers that stared
at the DBRITE instead of looking out the window.


Wooo boy. I used to work with guys like that, back in the '80s. They
didn't trust us kids who were looking at a computer screen, instead of
writing the newspaper draws on clear plastic sheets with a grease
pencil. After all, it had worked for them for 50 years....

You don't understand the limitations of radar.

In article .com,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Anyway, the controllers were clear that their job
was to visually seperate traffic and didn't like the controllers that stared
at the DBRITE instead of looking out the window.

Wooo boy. I used to work with guys like that, back in the '80s. They
didn't trust us kids who were looking at a computer screen, instead of
writing the newspaper draws on clear plastic sheets with a grease
pencil. After all, it had worked for them for 50 years....

Well, at KBED looking at the DBRITE isn't all that useful given the radar
coverage, especially to the southwest.

btw - these controllers were all years younger than we are, hardly old
farts set in their ways (I know, I know, I'm repeating myself).

--
Bob Noel
(gave up looking for a particular sig the lawyer will hate)

Jay Honeck wrote:

But to say that all class D's shouldn't have
a tower is ridiculous. To make places like Van Nuys, Pontiac, even
where I used to work, Grand Forks, ND; uncontrolled fields would make it
far more dangerous and tremendously inefficient.


People fly to North Dakota?

ducking!

I submit that if these airports are busy enough to need a control
tower, than they should merit radar. (I know some already have it,
but most do not.)


Radar can help but but is too coarse for a busy class D. Nothing will
beat a good pair of eyes and good judgement.