BluePower CDM Toolbox– The perfect tool for airport Collaborative Decision Making

Originally Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) was a simple concept indeed. Realizing that a lot of problems in air traffic management came from the simple fact that many of the partners simply did not talk to each other, it was easy to reach the conclusion: make them work together, stop decisions being made in isolation, improve… Continue reading BluePower CDM Toolbox– The perfect tool for airport Collaborative Decision Making

Impressions – time-warp in the departure hall

Those who travel a lot, and most of us aviation types do, know the feeling. Waiting in the departure hall for you connection, for your delayed flight, for zillions of other reasons. You can of course work, eat, buy presents but whatever you do, time always seems to slow to a crawl. Time is relative…… Continue reading Impressions – time-warp in the departure hall

Videos that show the impossible

  The company bringing you Roger-Wilco, BluSky Services is also well known for its multimedia and video products as well as its web design prowess. Some of our videos were created for clients who wanted to show the impossible. Like runway incursions as they were happening. Using cutting edge technology, we have recreated a number… Continue reading Videos that show the impossible

Delta 767 lands on taxiway in Atlanta

OK, so those Northwest pilots were having a heated argument about company policies (at least that was reported) and they overshot their destination Minneapolis by a cool 150 miles… But what was the crew of the Delta Airlines 767 coming from Rio doing in the early morning of 19 October when they landed on taxiway… Continue reading Delta 767 lands on taxiway in Atlanta

Same time, same place, same level…12

Enter the doctors Inept aptitude tests… Air traffic controllers, just like aircrew, have to meet vigorous health standards to be allowed to practice their trade. At most places, even before entering the training course, prospective controllers are sent to specialized medical institutions where a careful evaluation is made, not only to check that the candidate… Continue reading Same time, same place, same level…12

Missing its destination – not the first time

You have all seen the news; Northwest Airbus misses Minneapolis with crew preoccupied with whatever they were doing… But this is not such a big deal. Listen to the following story. In September 1995 I was out walking the dog (we had a wonderful Siberian Husky called Cyrano) when I noticed a DC-10-30 in Northwest… Continue reading Missing its destination – not the first time

Interesting people, unusual flight plans… (irregular edition)

Steve – the college drop-out When making the interviews for this series of articles I was asked a few times: How did you become an air traffic controller? Although I invented the series to talk about others, I will allow a small break now and tell you a part of my story… Frightening second flight… Continue reading Interesting people, unusual flight plans… (irregular edition)

Aerodrome control towers of the world – Schiphol, Amsterdam

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has had four control towers in its history, with number three and four doing service simultaneously these days. Number four is a strange looking creature, sitting out in the fields and watching over the airport’s fifth runway. However, this article is about tower number three, the tall, torch-like edifice on the… Continue reading Aerodrome control towers of the world – Schiphol, Amsterdam