More stories of long FSS hold times and another issue

Below is an email which I received from a local pilot. I attended a
Wisconsin DOT Aviation Safety meeting several weeks ago and many attending
pilots had similar complaints. The Wisconsin DOT rep told that most calls
from Wisconsin are currently being handled by the Princeton FSS while
Lansing and Kankakee under go "modernization". Once Lansing and Kankakee
are fully operational our calls will be routed those directions.

So it seems to me that there are several problems converging at once causing
most bottlenecks and cluster*ucks. Closing FSS's while
refurbishing/upgrading/modernizing/bsing other FSS's and also
relocating/retraining current or hiring/training briefers sounds like a
pretty good recipe for disaster. Not only is it frustrating for the pilots,
but it must be frustrating for the briefers as well. Great for moral and
quality of service. Not.

Jim

Please forward this to any other concerned parties you may know...

Most of us have been experiencing problems with flight service since Green
Bay AFSS closed its doors. Some of the problems are serious in nature and
are becoming more frequent in occurrence. Issues range from long hold
times, poor audio quality, and briefers being unfamiliar with our area to
hold times exceeding 30 minutes and briefers lacking knowledge of aviation
in general. Having experienced most of these problems myself and hearing
about all of them from fellow pilots in the past 5 days, I've investigated
further.

I have spent a lot of time on the phone with AOPA today. It seems that we
are not the only ones having these problems (go figure). Lockheed has
convened a "crisis" meeting and will hopefully have a plan of action. That
being said, we've all heard it before--It is imperative that someone that
can do something about these safety of flight issues hear about them.

AOPA appears to be our best ally at this point. They continue to compile a
database of specific instances and will continue to present them to Lockheed
Martin and government officials. The goal being to hold Lockheed to the
standards set forth in their (LM) contract with FAA.

So here is what we (this means you) need to do: When you experience
problems with flight service, and you can expect to at this point, please
use about five minutes of your time to call AOPA and let them know about it.
They will want your N-number, approximate time you called/contacted Flight
Service, and the specific issues you experienced. 1-800-USA-AOPA is their
number; push 1 at the menu. I have never had to hold for more than about 1
minute with AOPA, including today. Hopefully your experiences are no
different--because telling someone about these issues is the only way to get
them fixed.

Please! Take the time to tell AOPA about the problems we are having with
Flight Service. We need to keep the current "crisis" situation from
becoming the norm and ultimately losing this valuable and necessary
resource.

"Jim Burns" wrote in message
...


AOPA appears to be our best ally at this point. They continue to compile
a
database of specific instances and will continue to present them to
Lockheed
Martin and government officials. The goal being to hold Lockheed to the
standards set forth in their (LM) contract with FAA.

So here is what we (this means you) need to do: When you experience
problems with flight service, and you can expect to at this point, please
use about five minutes of your time to call AOPA and let them know about
it.
They will want your N-number, approximate time you called/contacted Flight
Service, and the specific issues you experienced. 1-800-USA-AOPA is their
number; push 1 at the menu. I have never had to hold for more than about
1
minute with AOPA, including today. Hopefully your experiences are no
different--because telling someone about these issues is the only way to
get
them fixed.

Please! Take the time to tell AOPA about the problems we are having with
Flight Service. We need to keep the current "crisis" situation from
becoming the norm and ultimately losing this valuable and necessary
resource.

Did anyone do this reporting under the old system?

"Jim Burns" wrote

Please! Take the time to tell AOPA about the problems we are having with
Flight Service. We need to keep the current "crisis" situation from
becoming the norm and ultimately losing this valuable and necessary
resource.

Wow. All of this from the FAA, who is now solidly in bed (so it would seem)
with the airlines.

All of this is spinning (rapidly) out of control, I fear. Is it too late to
save it?

I would say that the next year, or possibly six months, may decide if
general aviation will survive in any manner that is close to as good as what
we have now.

Is that overly pessimistic?

Wow!
--
Jim in NC

In article ,
"Morgans" wrote:

"Jim Burns" wrote

Please! Take the time to tell AOPA about the problems we are having with
Flight Service. We need to keep the current "crisis" situation from
becoming the norm and ultimately losing this valuable and necessary
resource.

Wow. All of this from the FAA, who is now solidly in bed (so it would seem)
with the airlines.

All of this is spinning (rapidly) out of control, I fear. Is it too late to
save it?

I would say that the next year, or possibly six months, may decide if
general aviation will survive in any manner that is close to as good as what
we have now.

Is that overly pessimistic?

Heck, I think it's an open question whether the whole COUNTRY will
survive in any manner that is close to as good as what we have now, let
alone GA.

rg

---
* This emoticon deliberately left blank.

"Ron Garret" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Morgans" wrote:

"Jim Burns" wrote

Please! Take the time to tell AOPA about the problems we are having
with
Flight Service. We need to keep the current "crisis" situation from
becoming the norm and ultimately losing this valuable and necessary
resource.

Wow. All of this from the FAA, who is now solidly in bed (so it would
seem)
with the airlines.

And congress.


All of this is spinning (rapidly) out of control, I fear. Is it too late
to
save it?

I would say that the next year, or possibly six months, may decide if
general aviation will survive in any manner that is close to as good as
what
we have now.

Is that overly pessimistic?

Heck, I think it's an open question whether the whole COUNTRY will
survive in any manner that is close to as good as what we have now, let
alone GA.

Leave the FAA as is, and in a dozen years all the spam cans will be
relegated to VFR with virtually NO services.

As the ancient axiom goes, "Be (damn) cafeful what you ask for". (paren'ed
word- mone)