YWG Restrictions - AGAIN!

[Jerricho]

At least somebody appreciates us.

(Thanks SAR_YYQ)

[ywgflyboy]

Most of the restrictions for Winnipeg are for VFR but at some times it can be anything that isn't scheduled. If you plan on doing work in the WInnipeg TCA, it is always worth a call to the shift manager to see if their is any time available to get in. When I do my IFR work we always pre-arrange with them so that we are not interfering with the rush hour traffic coming into the area.

If you read the actual NOTAM carefully it will say without prior permission. Pick up the phone and ask, hey does any time work for you.

Exceptions to this of are course the long weekend I am not speculating or anything but last weekend we got a call and 3 controllers just happened to not be at work.

If all else fails, red line the plane out 30 miles then do what you want.

[Jerricho]

The PPR for training slots is certainly working, and a big thank you to those folk who have moved their slots to smooth things out during the day. Unfortunately, there have been occasions where slots have been book for holds/approaches where the aircraft doesn't turn up, and we've received no notification to cancel. That's a slot somebody else could have used, or freed up a time that was more beneficial to somebody who was asked to move to another time.

Can I also give a friendly reminder that simply calling/faxing the CSM at the ACC IS NOT the same as filing a flight plan. Confusion has occurred a few times where a trainer has pitched up telling us they have approval, yet hasn't filed a flight plan and expecting IFR service and alerting.

[Easy Flyer]

Exceptions to this of are course the long weekend I am not speculating or anything but last weekend we got a call and 3 controllers just happened to not be at work.

I keep hearing this over and over from both controllers and pilots. Obviously the system for sick days is being abused by some of these bad apples. How do we get the ball rolling to investigate this situation? Service is suffering because of it.

[invertedattitude]

Exceptions to this of are course the long weekend I am not speculating or anything but last weekend we got a call and 3 controllers just happened to not be at work.

I keep hearing this over and over from both controllers and pilots. Obviously the system for sick days is being abused by some of these bad apples. How do we get the ball rolling to investigate this situation? Service is suffering because of it.

You want to start an investigation into controllers sick calls?

[ywgflyboy]

Exceptions to this of are course the long weekend I am not speculating or anything but last weekend we got a call and 3 controllers just happened to not be at work.

I keep hearing this over and over from both controllers and pilots. Obviously the system for sick days is being abused by some of these bad apples. How do we get the ball rolling to investigate this situation? Service is suffering because of it.

You want to start an investigation into controllers sick calls?

No. Just their tee times

In all seriousness though. Their may be problems within the system like staff shortage but I feel the following

1) Why are senior controllers from within the same center deciding if new candidates meet the standards or not. I have heard from numerous inside people this is a serious problem because they LIKE their overtime and having more staff takes away from that. Again, I have no reference to that statement, it just has made its may through ears in the last little bit.

As someone who is always asking, why the F am I paying this much for a map etc! Then I think about the millions in OT some people are getting in the industry. OT is dangerous to work performance and should be limited to a max per month. I love making OT myself but it is stupid from a rested mind point of view, and financial point of view.
2) They save most of our asses a few times in our career so lets trust them when they say they are too busy and to reconsider your flight path/altitude.

[kevenv]

Why are senior controllers from within the same center deciding if new candidates meet the standards or not. I have heard from numerous inside people this is a serious problem because they LIKE their overtime and having more staff takes away from that. Again, I have no reference to that statement, it just has made its may through ears in the last little bit.

Why are senior pilots within the same airline deciding whether or not new hires meet the standard? I have heard (no reference of course) that they want to protect their jobs because they like them! Perhaps junior controllers from another center should be the ones to decide who is qualified to work?

As someone who is always asking, why the F am I paying this much for a map etc! Then I think about the millions in OT some people are getting in the industry. OT is dangerous to work performance and should be limited to a max per month. I love making OT myself but it is stupid from a rested mind point of view, and financial point of view.

We are federally limited to a maximum number of hours every 8 weeks. This includes regular hours and overtime. You could love all overtime you want, you are not allowed to exceed the total hours. If we just refused to work any overtime at all, there would be even more restrictions for people to complain about.

[ywgflyboy]

Defend the situation as you wish but when staff from the inside speak of these problems it is time to address the issue. Same with pilots.

[kevenv]

Defend the situation as you wish but when staff from the inside speak of these problems it is time to address the issue. Same with pilots.

Defend it as I wish? What did you expect? You posted that there should be a limit on overtime, I posted that there is. A simple thanks for the correct info would have sufficed.

On the issue of perceived problems, do you honestly believe that the only course of action open to anonymous "inside" workers is to tell anonymous outsiders and have them complain here? Why don't you stand up and take the info to someone who can do something about it if a problem exists?

[ywgflyboy]

TCA's exists in their locations for a reason. There is higher traffic and a need for control. Cramming planes under the floor of the airspace is making things more dangerous. Someone is not doing their job if this is the way things are going. Period.

[Braun]

?

[Jerricho]

....

[ywgflyboy]

Sure lets argue a little bit more and bash heads because then the problem will be addressed without question. Right?

See my second post below. I don't give a shi+ why they are restricting traffic, I am saying start working on a solution. It is becoming unsafe.

TCA's exists in their locations for a reason. There is higher traffic and a need for control. Cramming planes under the floor of the airspace is making things more dangerous. Someone is not doing their job if this is the way things are going. Period.

[Jerricho]

Stand by sunshine.

You level an accusation against Air Trafficers based on pure rumour and conjecture which is refuted............and you view that as arguing? Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story eh?

As to working towards a solution, don't be so damn insulting. If you think for one second anyone is sitting back enjoying the situation, you need your head read.

[sakism]

As to working towards a solution, don't be so damn insulting. If you think for one second anyone is sitting back enjoying the situation, you need your head read.

It may not be being enjoyed, but its hard to see that it is being worked on. As said before this is the third summer in a row that these restrictions have been in place.

What about all the NavCan "Level of Service" reviews I've seen since then? The ones that end up closing Radios, decommissioning NavAids, etc. Why have I not seen in there that YWG TCA suffers staff shortages during summer months and that in order to solve this:

A - people from decommissioned Radio sites are being retrained for IFR work. They must be going somewhere.
B - incentive programs are being offered to people for them to temporarily relocate to YWG to help cover shortages during these months
c - etc, etc, etc

I have no idea if those are workable ideas, and they are not intended to be such. The point that we are all trying to make is that one summer is understandable, two summers is acceptable, three summers is disgraceful.

If you showed up in January for your flight to Mexico and were told that the flight would not be going for about three months because of pilots with holidays, how would you feel? If your garbage was not collected for the entire summer? If the snow wasn't plowed all March? And how would you feel when this happened three years in a row?

[grimey]

A - people from decommissioned Radio sites are being retrained for IFR work. They must be going somewhere.

They entered training less than a year ago, have no significant advantage over other people to qualify, and are still in training. I don't know if any have even hit the floor yet.

B - incentive programs are being offered to people for them to temporarily relocate to YWG to help cover shortages during these months

Short term temporary relocations wouldn't do anything. The people would still take months to qualify at a new position, during which time a qualified controller would have to be over their shoulder. And they'd have to come from somewhere, I don't know of any ACCs that are overstaffed.

[sakism]

As I said, those were not meant to be workable ideas as I don't know the inner workings of the system.

There are people who do know the system, however, and three years should be more than enough time for them to come up with some workable solution.