Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
#1692890
Closed three times today and the same again tomorrow with all movements stopped, hardly bodes well for the flying season.

Following the recent introduction of mandatory PPR I hope this is only a temporary blip in the future high standards that the airport set in the past.
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By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1692901
I no longer have the official inside track, of course, but, from what I gather, only one controller available (due to leave, training and sickness), who would have had to take his mandatory breaks, hence the closures. It is disappointing that they elected to suspend the indemnity scheme during those mandatory breaks and it doesn’t bode well for the summer. Sad times. :(
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#1692909
From the NOTAM - 12-5-19 AD closed due staffing 0930-1015 1200-1230 1415-1500 No movements permitted during the periods of closure.

All times Z but watch out for printed notices in L time :roll:

Certainly no beef with the controllers. As always they are doing a sterling job, especially today with plenty of traffic and operating on just one very busy frequency :thumright:

All they need now is adequate support from management which would also be appreciated by the clients.
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#1692911
Dave Phillips wrote:There’s a national shortage of controllers (Cambridge is also in the news). `There’s only so much management can do.

Depends on the competency of the managers I guess. That’s what they do.
By BehyBill
#1692919
CloudHound wrote:have a safe method of permitting movements sans controller then it’s time we did too.


For a place like that you need a proper controller or at least a mini-controller (e.g. an AFIS with a ATZ/TMZ/RMZ or an AG operator with ATZ and shotgun :lol: )

On order and safety: while those running the radio of MATZ in OCAS are not "proper ATC", from the way they speak you know you should not miss with them and the whole place looks safe and tidy :D

Otherwise you can try: closed all times? open for locals doing local flying in based aircrafts? open when RT in local dialect/accent only?
#1692926
Waveflyer wrote:
Dave Phillips wrote:There’s a national shortage of controllers (Cambridge is also in the news). `There’s only so much management can do.

Depends on the competency of the managers I guess. That’s what they do.



Sometime even the best managers struggle with a couple of fish and some bread. :roll:
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1692928
BehyBill wrote:
CloudHound wrote:have a safe method of permitting movements sans controller then it’s time we did too.


For a place like that you need a proper controller or at least a mini-controller (e.g. an AFIS with a ATZ/TMZ/RMZ or an AG operator with ATZ and shotgun :lol: )


Why?* This airfield open/closed idea is purely a UK/Germany thing. There are plenty of examples from around EASA-land where there are ATC hours of operation, and outside these hours the airfield is still open but pilots just get on with it and self announce. Some of these places are big enough to have "shock/horror" Class D airspace which reverts to class G outside these published hours.

Regards. SD..

*Aimed at the "but,but, its a really busy place!!" brigade - I seem to recall that in the past M-3 has actually explained the reasons why, cant remember, but it wasnt a CAA thing but local regulation??
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#1692931
Dave Phillips wrote:
Waveflyer wrote:
Dave Phillips wrote:There’s a national shortage of controllers (Cambridge is also in the news). `There’s only so much management can do.

Depends on the competency of the managers I guess. That’s what they do.



Sometime even the best managers struggle with a couple of fish and some bread. :roll:

Taking early decisive action and planning to avoid inevitable problems is probably more effective than relying on one of your Gods to solve them.

They went past struggling, they closed the airport which is not something we or the airport managers should consider acceptable in these circumstances.
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By Sir Morley Steven
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1692933
Just came back from a club flyout to Venice. Coming back via France during the ATC strike, recorded messages on FIS frequencies and radio silence at Avignon, nobody crashed into each other. And we were most welcome to fly in.
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