Comment by RetiredATC on How to achieve shorter taxiing time by elongating...
Not so at KATL. Land on the outboards, depart on the inboards (with a midfield terminal).
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Are any Q-codes still used in aviation?
In my 30+ years in US ATC, I never saw/heard any of them used ever. It must be an overseas thing.
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on What is meant by altitude correction above...
It's called Mode C correction factor.
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Why don't planes (mostly airliners) primarily use...
I saw the GPS procedures at a major airport all out of service because someone bought a cheap piece of electronics which interfered with the GPS signal in the area so much that the procedures were...
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Why no CFM-56 for the E3?
That's the situation now, but the KC135 started getting CFM-56 engines back in the 80's. My question asks why it was never done for the E3.
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Why no CFM-56 for the E3?
I think you hit on a key point with, "supplemented with aerial refueling." The E3 can refuel midair, while the KC135 cannot.
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Is needing to urinate an emergency?
We had a phrase in ATC, "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part." Planning a trip longer than the length of your bodily duration seems unwise. I don't think regulators...
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Is needing to urinate an emergency?
What if you were hungry. I can hear the pilot appealing the one-year suspension saying, "But your honor, I was really hungry and didn't bring any snacks. Hypoglycemia is a real thing, so I landed at...
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on What's the most cost-effective way to get a group to...
I hold a NAR cert level 3. I think it would be best if you contacted NAR directly. I am doubtful that you will be able to join/certify as a group. The NAR provides benefits that cost money (most...
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on How to build a rocket?
Try the book by G. Harry Stine titled "The Handbook of Model Rocketry." It's a must-read for beginners.
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on who determines and at what point how a (larger)...
Excellent answer as usual. I would add that although the book says it is the tower supervisor/CIC that makes the decision, at large uperations like KCLT or KATL there is a collaborative discussion...
View ArticleComment by RetiredATC on Should I telephone tower to tell them I'm alive?
As someone who used to coordinate SAR activities at my facility, I would have been looking for you or your wreckage. I have talked to many spouses in the middle of the night asking if the have heard...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for Hear-back/Read-back errors: ATC or Pilot responsibility
I spent many years in ATC quality assurance. It is a joint responsibility for the controller to issue a valid clearance and ensure the pilot reads it back correctly, and for the pilot to hear the...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for Does ATC hear the same poor audio I hear on LiveATC?
ATC antenna placement and frequency assignment go through an extensive analysis process that looks at the targeted airspace volume to ensure satisfactory radio coverage. The analysis also looks at...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for Can the guard frequency be used by non-aircraft /...
As a former FAA ATC'er, National Association of Rocketry high-power Level 3 certificate holder, and the facility approver guy for high-power rocketry waivers in our facility airspace, if you are in the...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for What type of chart is displayed on ATC radar screens?
In the US, enroute ATC facilities use a combination of public and proprietary data. Airports, low altitude routes, and high altitude routes are drawn using publically available information. Sector...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for What would cause an abrupt increase in engine noise...
I experienced the same thing. As I was deplaning, I asked the F/O who was standing in the cockpit doorway. He stated that the airline had an agreement with the engine manufacturer that required a...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for What is the reason behind updating the radar tracks...
I cannot comment on Eurocontrol radar display systems, but in the US, radar data processing is divided into 10NM squares called sort cells. Each sort cell has a preferred radar, normally (but not...
View ArticleAnswer by RetiredATC for How to convert European ATC license (and medical) to...
To work as an FAA controller you must be a US citizen.Certifications are not transferable. You would have to be hired by the FAA and go through the FAA academy in OKC. If you pass OKC, you would then...
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