Some bad controllers

"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

I was speaking relative to closing it and initiating SAR if needed.
Sounds like a VFR flight plan is more automated in that sense.


How are VFR flight plans automated?

"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

I imagine a scenario where a human error (forgetfulness, which we all
experience) could allow a delayed SAR initiation, whereas a reminder
from the computer could prevent that. However, now that Steven
mentioned the flight strip still being there, I want to hear more about
how that works.


There's not much more to tell. The strip is the controller's source of
information on any particular flight. The actions he takes with that flight
will be hand written on the strip. As long as the controller has
responsibility for a flight he will have a strip on it, he discards it when
the aircraft leaves his airspace or cancels. If an aircraft is cleared for
an approach to an untowered field but fails to cancel, the strip will remain
there.

"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

What happens to the strip when I close my flight plan?


It goes into the discard pile.



What happens to it if I don't?


It stays in front of the controller until he acts upon it.

Just this morning I cleared an Aztec for the VOR/DME RWY 35 approach at MTW,
an untowered field. About three miles outside of the FAF I told the
aircraft, "report canceling IFR on this frequency, change to advisory
frequency approved, I have no other targets in the Manitowoc area." I last
observed his target about three miles south of the field. The RTR is
located on the field and there are no pavement areas accessible by aircraft
where communications presents a problem, so all the guy had to do to cancel
was switch back to approach frequency, he didn't have to scramble to find a
working telephone somewhere or anything like that. Ten minutes after last
observing his target he still had not cancelled, so I started looking for
him. But I didn't follow any of the book procedures for overdue aircraft, I
just called the FBO. I identified myself and told the receptionist I was
looking for an aircraft that hadn't cancelled IFR. Before I could describe
the airplane to her, she said, "Is it Aztec N1234A? He's here on the ramp."
[name changed to protect the forgetful] I thanked her and pitched the strip
into the discard pile. Had it been after hours for the FBO I would have
called the local constabulary and they would have sent a car out to see if
the airplane was there.

Now, how would you automate that?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:
I just called the FBO.

Just out of curiosity, can you make a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network) call from your radar station? Are the calls recorded?

I've heard that you're not allowed to accept IFR cancellations which are
relayed via other aircraft. Is this correct? If so, how can you do so
based on a phone call with some desk jockey at an FBO?

On a marginally related topic, my club had a talk recently about
in-flight medical emergencies. Let's say you were working me and I
said, "I've got a medical emergency, landing Podunk Municipal, get an
ambulance to meet me there" and then disappeared from the frequency.
What would you do? Do you have the resources/authority to get a medical
team dispatched to Podunk?

Matthew S. Whiting wrote:

What happens to the strip when I close my flight plan? What happens to
it if I don't?



And just to get you more jazzed up the FAA is building us a new tower
here in Billings. When we move in in a couple of years paper strips
will be a thing of the past. It will all be touch screens and cursors.
The whole agency is going down that path.

Roy Smith wrote:



Just out of curiosity, can you make a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network) call from your radar station? Are the calls recorded?

We have access to outside lines from the ETVS, which is the panel in
front of the controller that controls all his communications. It is a
touch screen panel. For example when I want to call the FBO on the
field I simply hit the preprogrammed button labeled "Eddy" and the phone
dials Edwards Jet Center on the field. All the other important numbers
are thusly programmed. These lines are all recorded. We also have a
regular telephone that any office would have with access to the same
phone lines, just not recorded.



I've heard that you're not allowed to accept IFR cancellations which are
relayed via other aircraft. Is this correct?

No.


If so, how can you do so
based on a phone call with some desk jockey at an FBO?

Any call saying an aircraft has landed is good enough, recorded or not.



On a marginally related topic, my club had a talk recently about
in-flight medical emergencies. Let's say you were working me and I
said, "I've got a medical emergency, landing Podunk Municipal, get an
ambulance to meet me there" and then disappeared from the frequency.
What would you do?

Get an ambulance over there.


Do you have the resources/authority to get a medical
team dispatched to Podunk?

Yep, happens frequently. We also call in a lot of forest and grass
fires in the summer and early fall. I almost had to go to court because
I saw a fight in the parking lot at the airport and they were trying to
charge the wrong guy with assault.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

Just out of curiosity, can you make a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network) call from your radar station?


Yup.



Are the calls recorded?


Yup.



I've heard that you're not allowed to accept IFR cancellations which are
relayed via other aircraft. Is this correct?


Nope.



On a marginally related topic, my club had a talk recently about
in-flight medical emergencies. Let's say you were working me and I
said, "I've got a medical emergency, landing Podunk Municipal, get an
ambulance to meet me there" and then disappeared from the frequency.
What would you do?


I'd relay the request to somebody at Podunk; the tower, FBO, sherriff, etc.



Do you have the resources/authority to get a medical
team dispatched to Podunk?


Well, anybody can call 911.

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

Automating it would simply pop up a message after 30 minutes if the
flight plan hasn't been closed via a call from the pilot after landing.



So you'd create a system for the pilot to enter his cancellation directly
into the computer via telephone, and if that didn't happen after 30 minutes
the computer would initiate a search?

No. I assume the ATC computers know which airports are non-tower. For
non-tower airports, I'd require the controller or FSS specialist to
close the flight plan when the pilot radios or calls in. For airports
with towers, I wouldn't change a thing.


Matt

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

I was speaking relative to closing it and initiating SAR if needed.
Sounds like a VFR flight plan is more automated in that sense.



How are VFR flight plans automated?



I thought Newps said that a VFR flight plan has a means for automatic
notification of someone if it isn't closed within the tolerance. I
personally don't have a clue how these are handled.


Matt

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in message
...

I imagine a scenario where a human error (forgetfulness, which we all
experience) could allow a delayed SAR initiation, whereas a reminder
from the computer could prevent that. However, now that Steven
mentioned the flight strip still being there, I want to hear more about
how that works.



There's not much more to tell. The strip is the controller's source of
information on any particular flight. The actions he takes with that flight
will be hand written on the strip. As long as the controller has
responsibility for a flight he will have a strip on it, he discards it when
the aircraft leaves his airspace or cancels. If an aircraft is cleared for
an approach to an untowered field but fails to cancel, the strip will remain
there.



What does the controller do with the strip when an airplane lands at a
tower equipped airport? If he/she discards the strip manually, then
that is taking an action. It isn't an action to close the flight plan,
but nonetheless, it is an action taken upon completion of the flight.
It wasn't clear earlier in the thread that ANYTHING was done upon
completion of an IFR flight into a tower equipped airport or a non-tower
airport for that matter.


Matt