Tag: ATC

Conversion course – Does anyone understand the airlines?

My fascination with aircraft started at about age 5 and I first heard about air traffic control when I was 16. Gabi Nemeth who made music besides being an air traffic controller was on a TV talk show and he made a gallant effort to explain what ATC was all about… He must have done… Continue reading Conversion course – Does anyone understand the airlines?

Surprise in Vienna – When the system really fails

Brussels Airlines flight SN2908 is the evening counterpart of SN2901, the red-eye Brussels-Vienna flight that takes you to that magnificent city in time for a meeting that can start as early as 10.00 and conclude as late as 18.00 since SN2908 will bring you home comfortably. The only trouble with SN2908 is that it is… Continue reading Surprise in Vienna – When the system really fails

Your project delayed? Come join the club!

It must be horrible to be the project manager of major aircraft programs these days. Look at the Airbus A380, the A400M, the Boeing 787 or the 747-8. They were all delayed by several years and the reasons were often quite pedestrian (like incompatible software or strength calculation errors). It will fall on the Airbus… Continue reading Your project delayed? Come join the club!

The tower with a soul… 16.

9/11 and other events of consequence. 11 September 2001 started like any other late summer day. Unlike most people, I do like September. The stifling heat of August is gone, allergens are also mostly gone, and so I breathe easier. So, for me fall is not a reminder of passing but of a new beginning.… Continue reading The tower with a soul… 16.

A tower with a soul…11

Small planes, small airports The change of political system in Hungary was the main driver behind the presence of an increasing number of small aircraft, more and more people chose this way to visit the country. Since there was only one international airport, Ferihegy in Budapest, every plane had to land there to complete the… Continue reading A tower with a soul…11

Aircraft based tools in the fight against runway incursions

Aircraft-based airport surface traffic indications and alerting systems This is an edited version of the presentation made at the recent ESAVS 2010 conference by Doug Arbuckle of the FAA. Coauthors of the paper were David E. Gray of FAA, Peter Moertl of Mitre Corporation and Jim Duke of SAIC. You can download the original text of… Continue reading Aircraft based tools in the fight against runway incursions

Supermarkets and air traffic control – what is the connection?

It is tough times in Belgium these days. After the shocking news that Opel will close its car plant in Antwerp leaving thousands without work, it is now the Carrefour supermarket chain that announced the closure of 21 of its locations in the country. For our non-European readers, Carrefour is a French chain similar to… Continue reading Supermarkets and air traffic control – what is the connection?

A kid in the tower, a pilot without license and other things

The unprecedented success of the air transport industry is due mainly to the spectacular improvements in safety booked overt the years. True, the convenience of being able to travel to the other end of Europe for a meeting and back the same day count for a lot, but without the safety factor, few passengers would… Continue reading A kid in the tower, a pilot without license and other things

8.33 kHz Channel spacing – what is this?

The radio spectrum, a scarce resort One of the most basic activities in a cockpit is tuning the radio to the assigned frequency of whoever we want to talk to. Contacting ground control, the tower or one’s own company is done by turning a few knobs until the right numbers show in the radio control… Continue reading 8.33 kHz Channel spacing – what is this?