What airport has the worst controllers?

[Typhoon1244]

Typhoon, I've got a question for you. Some of the CRJs seem to take an awful long time to roll after taking the runway. Is that a checklist/procedures thing? Or do you think it's more likely junior crews.

Don't know...although I have, on occasion noticed what you're talking about. As for ASA, the checklist that comes right after "cleared for takeoff" only has two items...so unless people are being really meticulous about (1) turning on the landing lights and strobes, and (2) checking the fuel quantity, I don't think that's the problem.

Have you noticed that the CRJ's wings are really close to the ground? That means that the flux gates are also very close to the ground, where all the rebar and electrical cables are. Seven times out of ten, you get on the runway and discover that the DG's are out of whack by six degrees or more. Maybe guys are taking too much time slewing them around.

My personal technique: I align the DG's once while we're waiting for the runway, then give them a quick tweak (if necessary) when in position. As soon as I hear a takeoff clearance (for us ) I wave for the F/O to finish the checklist so that by the time he acknowledges the clearance and announces "checklist complete," we're rolling.

 

[MYFpilot]

And the losers are...
Worst by far is KLAS, if there is a cloud visible on the horizon expect 1 hour ground stop. I think KSLC is a close second "Salt Lake Tower SkyWest 3635 is ready to go". "....is that SkyWest 3635 calling". Of-course we are the only airplane even remotely close to the runway... "Yes it is, we're ready to go". "Oh , SkyWest 3635, hold short 34L, I've got a Cessna on a twelve mile final, I'll get you right out after him"

Now for the winners...
Best by far is any SoCal controller. those guys know how to "push tin" and are way cool as well. KSFO controllers are also quite good. they've got one tower frequency and twice the runways as KSLC and are ten-times more efficient.

 

[brew3departure]

The cards don't lie...

...when Miss Cleo is working ground at LGA.

-brew3

 

[Typhoon1244]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned ground control at ORD? I don't know that they're the "worst," but c'mon: no readbacks, multiple clearances per transmission, punishment for those who request clarification...

I mean, it's the only place I tell my FO to "just say 'roger,' and we'll try not to hit anybody."

Does it have to be that way?

One more nomination: I'm pretty tired of AEX approach vectoring 250-knot jets to Hell and back in order to get a 90-knot Cub in. Yeah, I know he's got the right-of-way, but I've known controllers who could do this smoothly. Not in Alexandria, La., though!

 

[Thedude]

I gotta put mine in now. The worst controllers are the one at Air Force Bases. In Whichita Falls on night I was in a hurry trying to do a quick turn with frieght so I key up tower to get my clerance and taxi in one shot. Nope...contact CL/DL....Okey dokey then. Pickup cleanace and go to gnd...its the same guy. So I taxi and switch over to twr and guess what...its still the same guy. Now I am pulling my hair out at this point and cursing the place .

 

[Thedude]

Part 2 Andrews AFB
Jeez what a nightmare. I am flying a BE-200 in formation with the XV-15 and we are trying to tell the controllers that the XV-15 is VFR ONLY. That is right as we hit a cloud bank in FORMATION. Mommy... So i bank away a little hoping to be in the same place on his wing when I come out. Talk about having to remove the seat cushion from my butt on that one. Then also trying to convince them that the King Air (me) has to land first because of approach speeds. The XV-15 has a gear speed of about 90 kts and the King Air falls out of the sky at that point. So the tilt-rotor lands first and I hit his wake ( I gave him plenaty of room but it wasnt enough). Holy maccoronni bataman. I immedatley firewalled the engines and went around. The controller then bitches me about about doing touch and goes.I get him set staight n that one and enter the pattern. I turn base just in time to go beak to beak with each an AF G-II. Thanks to the controller. He gets the AF bird back on his runway and me on mine. Gee I couldnt wait to go to the hotel bar that day.

 

[StarChecker]

Re: The cards don't lie...

...when Miss Cleo is working ground at LGA.

-brew3

AMEN!

Other than her....NY ATC is the best.

What about the guy that works clearance at LGA on the weekends...it takes him like 45 minutes to read it to you...then when you read it back you get:

"Ahhhhhh CHQ3808.............rrrrreadback corrrrrrect........contact grrrround for the push...........sayyyyy the gate?" Guy cracks me up.


By the way...PHL Approach is the worst.

 

[Weasil]

Lion Flyer

My brother used to be one of the signature ramp controllers at ORD but he's over in Baghdad now (in the army) so there's probably some new people there.

The morning guy sux huh? What kind of stuff does he do?

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Worst: Masirah, Oman. Not like they have much traffic to deal with, but they are pricks and will make us wait forever when the Omani Air Force is out demonstrating Darwin's laws of natural selection. These guys try and trick you into landing without a clearance just so they can yell at you.
The funniest thing I ever witnessed was a crew initiated go around in Bahrain after a particularly impressive bounce. The Bahraini controllers had a meltdown trying to figure out why this crew went around and what they would do about it. I think there may have been one other airplane in their airspace at the time.

 

[ShawnC]

...90-knot Cub in.

90 knots on a good day with a tail wind. Alot of times it's faster to drive than take a Cub.

 

[JBcrjca]

TUS is getting pretty bad. The tower guys do a good job, but the approach controllers suck balls.

They have a boatload of ANG F-16 traffic, and they have no idea how to sequence the fighters with airline traffic. On arrival a few days ago, while overhead Davis-Monthan, the guy turned us out to the west to follow an F-16 on a 13 mile final. We motored out to the west, called the guy in sight, cleared for the visual to follow him. He's going sloooooow, practice ILS I suppose. I call Flaps 8, 20, 30...still a 40 knot overtake...slight S-turns for spacing. Check in with tower, cleared to land...as the guy does a LOW APPROACH!!! We could have done a short approach and parked at the gate before the F-16 got to the runway, but no...they'd rather put an airliner on a 10 mile final behind a fighter just practicing. I was furious, and asked the tower guy about how approach does the sequencing. He had no idea but felt our pain...offered a phone # to call and ask them about it.

Well, they do have one approach guy, 'the whisperer', who does a good job. He's funny to listen to.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Mama told me if you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all.... with that....

ORD controllers are the best, next to DCA. At DCA you gotta do everything the FAA tells you not to.....

At ORD you can throw out the proper terminology book, (AIM/Controllers Handboook) and it still works. Nothing like getting a complex taxi clearance and responding with Wilco or copy that. Heck, you can get away with word up, peace out or Rog.

Now, to switch gears there was this smokin girl whose voice would just make a man melt. Ran Toledo ATC at night in 90's... Yummy!

 

[501261]

TUS is getting pretty bad. The tower guys do a good job, but the approach controllers suck balls.

They have a boatload of ANG F-16 traffic, and they have no idea how to sequence the fighters with airline traffic. On arrival a few days ago, while overhead Davis-Monthan, the guy turned us out to the west to follow an F-16 on a 13 mile final. We motored out to the west, called the guy in sight, cleared for the visual to follow him. He's going sloooooow, practice ILS I suppose. I call Flaps 8, 20, 30...still a 40 knot overtake...slight S-turns for spacing. Check in with tower, cleared to land...as the guy does a LOW APPROACH!!! We could have done a short approach and parked at the gate before the F-16 got to the runway, but no...they'd rather put an airliner on a 10 mile final behind a fighter just practicing. I was furious, and asked the tower guy about how approach does the sequencing. He had no idea but felt our pain...offered a phone # to call and ask them about it.

Well, they do have one approach guy, 'the whisperer', who does a good job. He's funny to listen to.

Guess where Tucson approach is located???? That's right at D-M, and you wonder why you're shooting a 15 mile final to follow military traffic.

 

[414Flyer]

Guess where Tucson approach is located???? That's right at D-M, and you wonder why you're shooting a 15 mile final to follow military traffic.

Yeah I have had the same experience at TUS. Get vectored WAY out to the west, when could have easily gotten in there without it, if approach could competently vector.

And yes the whispering guy is pretty funny. Sometimes has been hard to keep a straight face when talking to him on the radio.

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

Story goes like this:

UAL B744 Captain says to the tower at YSSY (Sydney, Australia) as he gets handed off: "I would like to say farewell to the world's second best ATC - This is my last flight before retirement"

YSSY ATC: Well, thanks. By the way, who's the best?"

UAL B744: "Everyone else"