Providence Approach/busy freq?

[apcooper]

Last July I was flying to GON from HFD and with my CFII we wanted to do a practice VOR 23 app. However when we called up Providence App the freq was extremely busy, it had to have been like O'hare or JFK during near peak hours and it took 3 times to break in on initial callup (VFR) and once they acknowledged our existance they almost turned us down for a practice approach due to ATC's workload!

I was wondering why the freq was so busy for PVD. For your information it was around noon on a Saturday and about 4000 sct and not too hot outside. Did we just happen to check in during a random 20 min traffic surge or what? We were on 125.75 so if anyone who flies in the PVD area knows this particular sector could shed some light on this. Curious minds like to inquire!

 

[Four02Driver]

I fly in and out of PVD 3/4 of the year for a scheduled airline, and in my experience these are the worst controllers out there. The constantly give bad vectors, forget about you, and ignore you. How about this barrelling along at 170kts 5 miles from the field on a base and being turned on a downwind because there is a jet 15 miles away on the opposite base. Put four airplanes on the scope and they lose it

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Really only one controller at PVD is particularly bad. In general, they don't seem to work together very well. Seems as if the final approach controller at PVD frequently gets hand-offs of aircraft at 120 KIAS, 210 KIAS, 165 KIAS .....Makes it interesting to listen to at least. As for GON and 125.75, I've heard approach pretty busy there but usually only with landings toward the northeast. Sometimes it just depends on the day......

Mr. I.

 

[Goose Egg]

Did a lot of practice approaches into PVD when I was working on my CFII. Everyone seemed pretty helpful and accomadating. No complaints.

-Goose