Post by TCU 2U2 on Mar 13, 2013 6:16:42 GMT -5
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Detroit
Airport: Detroit Metro/Wayne County (DTW)
Current Arrival Rate: Approximately 72 arrival per hour; 92 departures per hour.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: DTW could likely see a reduction from 72 arrivals per hour to approximately 20-40, depending on the weather.
Furloughs would put the tower at its minimum staffing. There would be no room for controllers to take annual leave or sick leave, and there would be a reduction in air traffic services DTW could offer.
The tower would be staffed with six air traffic controllers on most days and afternoons. With six controllers on a shift, there still needs to be time for bathroom breaks and meals, meaning that realistically only five controllers would be working – and that’s on the days with Front Line Managers (FLM). With five controllers working traffic (days with an FLM), the tower would likely have to cut Delta's Arrival/Departure rate in half, maybe more. At that rate, there would be an all-day, constant stream of aircraft, and the tower would have to reduce the traffic stream it more at 10 pm, when several air traffic controllers’ shifts end and two controllers work the midshift.
If there is de-icing, the tower would probably have to go to 33 percent of normal traffic capacity to maintain safety. On the days with no FLM, the tower is looking at four controllers instead of typically seven being on position, so the tower could probably only handle 20 percent of its normal air traffic capacity.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Houston
Airport: Houston Intercontinental (IAH), and Houston Intercontinental Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
Current Arrival Rate: On an average IAH arrives and departs 100 to 120 aircraft per hour during its busiest hours. The airport acceptance rate varies greatly depending on the runways in use. A two-runway arrival rate is between 72-76 aircraft per hour. The three runway arrival rates are 88 for an east flow and 108 for a west flow, with good weather. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) acceptance rate is 32 aircraft per available runway.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: If short staffed, Houston Intercontinental TRACON, the facility that handles flights in and out of the Houston area at altitudes of zero to 16,000 feet, would go from a three-runway rate to a two-runway rate. That means
likely 15-25 aircraft per hour would be delayed at IAH, and many more at other airports.In order to land flights on three runways simultaneously on anything but a sunny day, there must be three separate controllers at the TRACON working the final approachesfor each runway. The same goes for the three final monitor positions and the three local control positions in IAH tower. In order to get the maximum number of airplanes to the
final approach tower controllers, Houston Intercontinental TRACON has four “feeder” controllers guiding flights to the tower controllers.
If the TRACON were short staffed due to furloughs or overtime cuts, the “feeder” positions would be combined and the air traffic going to them would be delayed to maintain safety. The TRACON has four departure positions; the lower altitude traffic serving the satellite airports is worked by three satellite controllers. In a short staffing situation, these satellite positions would be combined. In order to accommodate the increased workload, Visual Flight Rules (VFR)services would be minimal if given at all and the departures would face possible restrictionsto keep the volume manageable
Airport: Detroit Metro/Wayne County (DTW)
Current Arrival Rate: Approximately 72 arrival per hour; 92 departures per hour.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: DTW could likely see a reduction from 72 arrivals per hour to approximately 20-40, depending on the weather.
Furloughs would put the tower at its minimum staffing. There would be no room for controllers to take annual leave or sick leave, and there would be a reduction in air traffic services DTW could offer.
The tower would be staffed with six air traffic controllers on most days and afternoons. With six controllers on a shift, there still needs to be time for bathroom breaks and meals, meaning that realistically only five controllers would be working – and that’s on the days with Front Line Managers (FLM). With five controllers working traffic (days with an FLM), the tower would likely have to cut Delta's Arrival/Departure rate in half, maybe more. At that rate, there would be an all-day, constant stream of aircraft, and the tower would have to reduce the traffic stream it more at 10 pm, when several air traffic controllers’ shifts end and two controllers work the midshift.
If there is de-icing, the tower would probably have to go to 33 percent of normal traffic capacity to maintain safety. On the days with no FLM, the tower is looking at four controllers instead of typically seven being on position, so the tower could probably only handle 20 percent of its normal air traffic capacity.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Houston
Airport: Houston Intercontinental (IAH), and Houston Intercontinental Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
Current Arrival Rate: On an average IAH arrives and departs 100 to 120 aircraft per hour during its busiest hours. The airport acceptance rate varies greatly depending on the runways in use. A two-runway arrival rate is between 72-76 aircraft per hour. The three runway arrival rates are 88 for an east flow and 108 for a west flow, with good weather. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) acceptance rate is 32 aircraft per available runway.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration: If short staffed, Houston Intercontinental TRACON, the facility that handles flights in and out of the Houston area at altitudes of zero to 16,000 feet, would go from a three-runway rate to a two-runway rate. That means
likely 15-25 aircraft per hour would be delayed at IAH, and many more at other airports.In order to land flights on three runways simultaneously on anything but a sunny day, there must be three separate controllers at the TRACON working the final approachesfor each runway. The same goes for the three final monitor positions and the three local control positions in IAH tower. In order to get the maximum number of airplanes to the
final approach tower controllers, Houston Intercontinental TRACON has four “feeder” controllers guiding flights to the tower controllers.
If the TRACON were short staffed due to furloughs or overtime cuts, the “feeder” positions would be combined and the air traffic going to them would be delayed to maintain safety. The TRACON has four departure positions; the lower altitude traffic serving the satellite airports is worked by three satellite controllers. In a short staffing situation, these satellite positions would be combined. In order to accommodate the increased workload, Visual Flight Rules (VFR)services would be minimal if given at all and the departures would face possible restrictionsto keep the volume manageable