Back in February 2011 I reported in this Blog on a particularly silly state of affairs. Pilots and controllers had got used to a simple rule where ‘each clearance replaces the old’. This means that in a clearance, such as ‘cleared FL 150, 200 or below 20 miles before X’, the constraint ‘below 20 miles… Continue reading The Great SID/STAR Phraseology Fiasco (part 2)
Tag: TMA
The Great SID/STAR Phraseology Fiasco
Most of us find the workings of ICAO pretty strange. The constant repetition of States’ sovereignty, with its assumption that they actually know what they are talking about, is quaint, rather than obviously dangerous. The glacial speed of progress, with timescales measured in years for quite minor textual changes, can be exasperating, but nothing is… Continue reading The Great SID/STAR Phraseology Fiasco
Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) – History and current practice
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE The concept of Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) was originally defined in the United States by a group of airlines, led by US Air, in response to what the airlines perceived as inadequate co-operation between airports, the FAA and the airlines themselves. They formed the so called CDM Group, members of which visited several… Continue reading Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) – History and current practice
Same time, same place, same level…17
Navigation, the art of getting lost – Part 2 A taxiway will do… A few years later, however, we got our share of uninvited visitors, too. This time it was a Sunday and the observation terrace was crowded by people, some of them waiting for flights due in later, others just there to watch for… Continue reading Same time, same place, same level…17
Same time, same place, same level…16
Navigation, the art of getting lost – Part 1 Faultless navigation plays an all important role in the safe operation of aircraft. There are scores of instruments both in the cockpit and on the ground, the purpose of which is to make sure that pilots and controllers are constantly aware of where their airplanes are… Continue reading Same time, same place, same level…16
Whatever happened to (the benefits of) Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS)?
Though there are few who will not be familiar with the term Mode S Enhanced Surveillance, let me quickly recap. Mode S is a legacy, ground based surveillance system which has a rudimentary data link capability. It is this latter that was being pushed in the 90s as a solution to all ills of air… Continue reading Whatever happened to (the benefits of) Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS)?
Anniversary – First radar system deployed at Budapest-Ferihegy airport
50 year anniversary on 6 May 2009 Those who visit Budapest Ferihegy airport these days see a very different facility from what it had been in 1959. If arriving on one of the low fare carriers, you do pass through the original terminal (Terminal 1) but it has changed quite a bit even though an… Continue reading Anniversary – First radar system deployed at Budapest-Ferihegy airport