What's up with ATC?

[Wildhorsetrail]

Why the sudden uptick in near misses at major commercial airports? It's seems just a matter of time before there's a major catastrophe. Has there been a lot of turnover in ATC workers? Did the lull in travel during COVID lead to some bad habits? Am I the only one who doesn't trust the FAA to figure it our before something serious happens? Am I asking too many questions?

https://simpleflying.com/burbank-airport-mesa-skywest-near-miss/

[A64Pilot]

And I remember attending a seminar put on by the FAA where I was told Nextgen was going to fix this type of thing?

[DCarlton]

At times when landing, ATC will notify you that there will be an aircraft departing before you when spacing is tight.  Anybody know what the absolute minimum spacing should be ?  

[PeteMc]

Are you talking about spacing in the air or when it's okay for you to touch down on the runway while the other plane is departing?

• 3,000 Feet of Separation: Category I aircraft landing behind Category I or II
• 4,500 Feet of Separation: Category II aircraft landing behind Category I or II
• 6,000 Feet of Separation: When either is a category III aircraft

 

[201er]

2 hours ago, Wildhorsetrail said:

Why the sudden uptick in near misses at major commercial airports? It's seems just a matter of time before there's a major catastrophe. Has there been a lot of turnover in ATC workers? Did the lull in travel during COVID lead to some bad habits? Am I the only one who doesn't trust the FAA to figure it our before something serious happens? Am I asking too many questions?

https://simpleflying.com/burbank-airport-mesa-skywest-near-miss/

It was raining airplanes out of the sky that month Sully landed on the Hudson. Just because it’s the topic of the month that gets attention doesn’t make these problems go away when the news finds something else to focus on.

[GeeBee]

The incident at Austin is disturbing. Not just because of the near collision but the failure to protect the critical zone by ATC. That should not happen, ever. It indicates a lack of supervision and procedure in the tower.  Not only did two airplanes almost collide but the inbound flight was in jeopardy in the performance of the auto land maneuver even if SW was not on the runway.

I've noticed a lot of rookies at ATC recently, making rookie mistakes, most notably treating an airplane like it is an Otis elevator. I am always prepared to give a new guy a break, but it seems the supervision of the rookies is less than stellar right now. The other day I got 3 re-routes from 3 controllers all on the same frequency in MIA's airspace. 

Now add that to "rookies in the cockpit" and you get real trouble. The seniority list is now a rocket docket. I retired 5 years ago and some guys who were co-pilots for me are now senior international Captains on the top equipment. Recently one airline checked out a probationary Captain (less than one year on the job) on a 767 out of.....New York.

Now take the above paragraphs, stir well and serve. It will not go down well.

[gmonnig]

There's definitely a shift in controllers and work ethics going on in the agency. I still enjoy it after 16yrs and pride myself in never getting a pair of airplanes too close. At our level 11 facility (FAA ranks complexity 7-12), newly minted controllers might have several "deals" under their belts after a few short years. I think they truly believe that it's not a bid deal. They'll just ATSAP it and take a long ass break while filling the report. No repercussions or anything.... I guess I'm just the old guy now. 9yrs 7months 15days and a few hours to go.

[cliffy]

I agree with GeeBee above!

There were actually 6 people in the wrong in Austin. 

1) Ground Ctl who cleared the SW to taxi to the runway and not stop at the ILS Hold line. 

2) Both SW pilots for knowing it was CATIII weather and accepting a taxi to the runway and a T/O

    knowing it was CAT III weather with one on the approach

3)The tower for clearing SW for T/O knowing a plane was on a CATTIII approach

4) Both of the FedEx pilots for not immediately going missed when they heard that a plane was

    cleared for T/O  ahead of their landing and not making sure the ILS was protected.(I always asked that question

    before I accepted a CAT III approach). 

As to new hires in 121 now a days?  It will become a big issue in the future. You don't have the time in seat that we 

used to have to get accustomed to the system. You don't have the ex-military involved anymore. You do have very

young guns who in some if not many instances think they know it all (I even flew with that kind 16 years ago). 

 

Consider it a game of "telephone" where what comes out at the end of the line is not near what was desired at the front end. 

 

The only thing keeping things in line and not a real blood bath is the jet engine and its reliability and power. If we were still running

radial piston engines there would be a headline every month.