Post by TCU 2U2 on Mar 13, 2013 5:59:53 GMT -5
ATLANTA: Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic
AIRPORT: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATES:
Arrival rate using triple arrivals (“trips”) on three runways, with clear conditions
(known as visual flight rules, or VFR): 126 per hour.
Dual VFR arrival rate (using two runways): 96 per hour.
Poor visibility (IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules conditions) for triple arrivals: 104 per hour.
Dual IFR arrival rate: 76 per hour
Very poor weather conditions (called low IFR) for triple arrivals: 92
Very poor weather conditions for dual IFR arrival rate: 68
OVERVIEW OF CURRENT OPERATIONAL POSITIONS AND STAFFING USED AT ATL TOWER AND ATLANTA TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control):
At Atlanta, controllers routinely use three runways for landing aircraft (triple arrivals, or “trips”) and two runways for departing aircraft (dual departures). During these times, Atlanta TRACON staffs, at a minimum, six different approach controller positions to
make it work safely and efficiently. In poor weather, three other approach control positions are staffed. These positions are in addition to staffing required for Atlanta Departures, Atlanta Satellite airports, Macon, Columbus and Athens, Ga. Atlanta Tower
also has to staff an additional local controller position in this high efficiency landing configuration, for a total of 10 controllers.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION:
Sequestration will mean that both Atlanta Tower and Atlanta
TRACON will not have the staffing to run the big numbers outlined above. They will be forced to abandon the “trips” arrival configuration and instead run a less efficient dual configuration, which means 25-30 less planes landing per hour, every hour. The delay effects will then start to ripple.
VICTOR SANTORE, NATCA SOUTHERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT: “What Congress and everybody needs to understand is that the world’s busiest airport runs like a Swiss watch. If you slow down the arrival rate, the National Airspace System will most certainly suffer. It takes hours to recover at Hartsfield. Unlike some airports, we have busy ‘pushes’ all day long. The real losers here will be air travelers as well as the airlines.”
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Boston
Airport: Logan International (BOS)
Current Arrival Rate:
Approximately 57 Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations per
hour and five Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations per hour.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: Under sequestration, in an already short-staffed facility, training for BOS’s seven trainees would be stopped. BOS typically uses two local control positions. If BOS is forced to combine these positions it would increase
controllers’ workload thus limiting service. Any VFR flights requesting Class B services could be limited or curtailed. Any meteorological event that would require reroutes or Traffic Management restrictions could create substantial delays as there would be fewer resources to handle it. If the airlines need to initiate de-icing operations, which typically create a larger workload on ground control, delays could increase. Many of these aircraft are destined to airports with spacing programs and with increased delay times expected these deiced aircraft may timeout and have to return for more de-icing.
Boston departures typically have to fit into overhead streams of traffic, which are enroute to and from international airports as well asthe New York area. Boston is one of the top metered airports due to its location within the NAS. At peak times BOS typically
experiences delays as controllers have to fit flights into the overhead stream. A day of stormy weather, which typically taxes controllers, could have a significant impact whereas a clear day may not create the same result. Boston is very wind
dependent and this effects its arrival and departure rates. Regardless of these dynamics,
Logan Airport could suffer more than many of the other core 30 due to its geographical location within the NAS.
“I foresee greater delays for these aircraft as the system slows thus limiting those available slots,” said NATCA Facility Representative Jim Peterson.
AIRPORT: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATES:
Arrival rate using triple arrivals (“trips”) on three runways, with clear conditions
(known as visual flight rules, or VFR): 126 per hour.
Dual VFR arrival rate (using two runways): 96 per hour.
Poor visibility (IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules conditions) for triple arrivals: 104 per hour.
Dual IFR arrival rate: 76 per hour
Very poor weather conditions (called low IFR) for triple arrivals: 92
Very poor weather conditions for dual IFR arrival rate: 68
OVERVIEW OF CURRENT OPERATIONAL POSITIONS AND STAFFING USED AT ATL TOWER AND ATLANTA TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control):
At Atlanta, controllers routinely use three runways for landing aircraft (triple arrivals, or “trips”) and two runways for departing aircraft (dual departures). During these times, Atlanta TRACON staffs, at a minimum, six different approach controller positions to
make it work safely and efficiently. In poor weather, three other approach control positions are staffed. These positions are in addition to staffing required for Atlanta Departures, Atlanta Satellite airports, Macon, Columbus and Athens, Ga. Atlanta Tower
also has to staff an additional local controller position in this high efficiency landing configuration, for a total of 10 controllers.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION:
Sequestration will mean that both Atlanta Tower and Atlanta
TRACON will not have the staffing to run the big numbers outlined above. They will be forced to abandon the “trips” arrival configuration and instead run a less efficient dual configuration, which means 25-30 less planes landing per hour, every hour. The delay effects will then start to ripple.
VICTOR SANTORE, NATCA SOUTHERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT: “What Congress and everybody needs to understand is that the world’s busiest airport runs like a Swiss watch. If you slow down the arrival rate, the National Airspace System will most certainly suffer. It takes hours to recover at Hartsfield. Unlike some airports, we have busy ‘pushes’ all day long. The real losers here will be air travelers as well as the airlines.”
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Boston
Airport: Logan International (BOS)
Current Arrival Rate:
Approximately 57 Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations per
hour and five Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations per hour.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: Under sequestration, in an already short-staffed facility, training for BOS’s seven trainees would be stopped. BOS typically uses two local control positions. If BOS is forced to combine these positions it would increase
controllers’ workload thus limiting service. Any VFR flights requesting Class B services could be limited or curtailed. Any meteorological event that would require reroutes or Traffic Management restrictions could create substantial delays as there would be fewer resources to handle it. If the airlines need to initiate de-icing operations, which typically create a larger workload on ground control, delays could increase. Many of these aircraft are destined to airports with spacing programs and with increased delay times expected these deiced aircraft may timeout and have to return for more de-icing.
Boston departures typically have to fit into overhead streams of traffic, which are enroute to and from international airports as well asthe New York area. Boston is one of the top metered airports due to its location within the NAS. At peak times BOS typically
experiences delays as controllers have to fit flights into the overhead stream. A day of stormy weather, which typically taxes controllers, could have a significant impact whereas a clear day may not create the same result. Boston is very wind
dependent and this effects its arrival and departure rates. Regardless of these dynamics,
Logan Airport could suffer more than many of the other core 30 due to its geographical location within the NAS.
“I foresee greater delays for these aircraft as the system slows thus limiting those available slots,” said NATCA Facility Representative Jim Peterson.