ATC Handling of Low-Fuel American Flight

Jim Macklin wrote:

But only the controllers know which would be fastest for the
plane with the emergency.


Jim, that is like saying controllers actually fly the airplane.

Dan Luke wrote:

"Sam Spade" wrote:

Those are issues that the captain could have short-circuited.


Nevertheless, he should not have needed to.


I could not agree more. But, having been there and having had to do
that, it sometimes take the PIC to get the job done.

Jim Macklin wrote:

From now on, from this day until Hell freezes over, only ONE
airplane allowed within 30 miles of any airport at any time,
this is the way they guarantee Air Force One immediate
landing priority.

Help me understand what all this has to do with the issue of the AAL flight.

Jim Macklin wrote:

IF there was no traffic, 17 would be faster, but there is
always traffic at DFW.

Even though the emergency status gives priority, it does not
create a magic wand that eliminates the traffic.

It is not a magic wand. It is respecting the PIC's needs expressed
with, or subsequent to, a declaration of emergency.

Had the collective ATC folks involved worked on getting the requested
runway available as they should have, then traffic would have had to be
handled as necessary.

Perhaps, in turn, that could have created other fuel emergencies
(although I doubt it). If that had been the case,then perhaps in turn
that would show that AAL and others have conned a weak FAA into letting
them cut back their dispatched reserve fuel requirements far too much.

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...

IF there was no traffic, 17 would be faster, but there is
always traffic at DFW.

Even though the emergency status gives priority, it does not
create a magic wand that eliminates the traffic.


There is a tremendous difference between how ATC works and how you believe
ATC works.

"Sam Spade" wrote in message
...

Since he did not get the runway he *should have demanded* why did it not
turn out "wishy-washy?"


The declaration was not wishy-washy.

"Jim Macklin" writes:

IF there was no traffic, 17 would be faster, but there is
always traffic at DFW.

Even though the emergency status gives priority, it does not
create a magic wand that eliminates the traffic.

In the real sky, traffic is very generously separated, and it's easy to move
it, as there is plenty of empty sky available.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Then you tell us all, in detail.



"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
message
k.net...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| ...
|
| IF there was no traffic, 17 would be faster, but there
is
| always traffic at DFW.
|
| Even though the emergency status gives priority, it does
not
| create a magic wand that eliminates the traffic.
|
|
| There is a tremendous difference between how ATC works and
how you believe
| ATC works.
|
|

Because unless you clear the airspace, any clearance for an
aircraft in distress and declaring an emergency has to have
zero traffic conflicts.

They do that now, only for the President, a 30 NM radius.

DFW had lots of traffic, I'm pretty sure the AA flight got
the quickest landing possible.


"Sam Spade" wrote in message
...
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| From now on, from this day until Hell freezes over, only
ONE
| airplane allowed within 30 miles of any airport at any
time,
| this is the way they guarantee Air Force One immediate
| landing priority.
|
| Help me understand what all this has to do with the issue
of the AAL flight.
|

A pilot declares an "emergency" and wants something done.
The pilot only knows what he can see on his panel, what he
has been told on the radio and therefore, his request may
not be THE solution to the problem.

My point is that ATC did get him on the ground safely. If
ATC had granted the pilot's request for 17 and it had taken
longer to clear the airspace and get him on the ground, ATC
would still be blamed.

BTW, has anybody heard what the problem actually was? [fuel
leak, bad gauges, PMS?]


"Sam Spade" wrote in message
...
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| IF there was no traffic, 17 would be faster, but there
is
| always traffic at DFW.
|
| Even though the emergency status gives priority, it does
not
| create a magic wand that eliminates the traffic.
|
| It is not a magic wand. It is respecting the PIC's needs
expressed
| with, or subsequent to, a declaration of emergency.
|
| Had the collective ATC folks involved worked on getting
the requested
| runway available as they should have, then traffic would
have had to be
| handled as necessary.
|
| Perhaps, in turn, that could have created other fuel
emergencies
| (although I doubt it). If that had been the case,then
perhaps in turn
| that would show that AAL and others have conned a weak FAA
into letting
| them cut back their dispatched reserve fuel requirements
far too much.