New SEA ramp tower

[QXpeon]

Love it?

Hate it?

What's the scoop from the consensus?

Contract ATC blows. Fly into SEA next time and really listen to them. You can tell the difference.

 

[Icelandair]

ramp tower is a waste and inefficient. What i don't understand is that airlines already are complaining about the high cost of flying into SEA and now the port has decided to make it even more expensive to fly there. There was no reason to fix a problem that didn't exist.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Pain in the ass. Can't seem to figure out how they want to run the traffic. Exiting 16R at M(ike) for spot 13, you have to switch from Tower, to Ground to Ramp to go, what, 2-300 yards? (oh, and don't forget to call ops with your on time so someone will actually be there to marshal you in).

I know lots of folks deal with ramp in other "real" airports, but for cripes sake, Seatac's got to be one of the least complex big airports out there: 2 N-S runways, basically 1 N-S parallel taxiway.

The only thing the ramp-tower is accomplishing is spending money. POS stands for two things, you know.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

I think they're doing things to boost or maintain their funding. They must have a full time employee just to change the ATIS every 10 minutes.
"Omigosh, it just went from a few at 1800 to a few at 2000 and 20000 scattered. Better change the ATIS!"

 

[propsarebest]

Where on the field is this tower located?? Between the B&C concourses??

 

[ReverseSensing]

Where on the field is this tower located?? Between the B&C concourses??

It's in the old FAA tower, atop the Terminal.

 

[RJP]

What's with the tower putting guys on to hold and telling them "not receiving your transponder" (before taking the runway) in the same sentence at SEA? Did I miss something there?

 

[Dave Benjamin]

What's with the tower putting guys on to hold and telling them "not receiving your transponder" (before taking the runway) in the same sentence at SEA? Did I miss something there?

Usually there is a reminder on the ATIS to keep your transponder on even on the ground. They have a system that allows them to track you on the ground which will enhance safety during periods of limited visibility.

 

[RJP]

Usually there is a reminder on the ATIS to keep your transponder on even on the ground. They have a system that allows them to track you on the ground which will enhance safety during periods of limited visibility.

Pretty sweet. I must not have been paying attention.
Thanks.

 

[ReverseSensing]

They must have a full time employee just to change the ATIS every 10 minutes.

Changes every ten minutes and takes ten minutes to listen to the whole thing:

TX's on
Ramp tower procedures and freqs
Noise sensitive areas (at night)
Don't mistake taxiway Tango for 16R

Pretty soon they'll be reminding us to make sure the ramp pulls the chocks.

 

[regionaltard]

What's with the tower putting guys on to hold and telling them "not receiving your transponder" (before taking the runway) in the same sentence at SEA? Did I miss something there?

Other than the ATIS? Not a thing.........

 

[skid]

One of the worst things for cargo ops at the north end is that we have to contact ramp for our ever so busy taxi too. I mean, since it was implemented I have had them tell me to wait one time for another airplane. Give me a break...I think the only reason it was put in was because the ground controller cant see half of the ramp areas because of the location of the new tower. If they would have built closer to the terminal there would be no need for this.

Now I think the ground controller has one of the easiest jobs in the world. How tough is it to tell 80 airplanes to taxi to 16R in an hour and another 80 to taxi to parking/contact ramp control while entering the ramp.