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Dublin Airport closing

  • 06-03-2008 8:42pm
    #1
    sharkman
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 6,527 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Dublin Airport closing 2330 -0630 due to ATC sickness and lack of staff


Comments

  • #2
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    sharkman wrote: »
    Dublin Airport closing 2330 -0630 due to ATC sickness and lack of staff

    Thats pretty bad for the main gateway to the country! Could they not close a smaller airport, Knock / Shannon and use staff from there to cover the main airport?

    Do ATC need to be actually at the airport or can they use computers at other airports to link into and control Dublin as long as there are some staff in Dublin?


  • #3
    Ham'nd'egger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,025 ✭✭✭Ham'nd'egger


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    Thats pretty bad for the main gateway to the country! Could they not close a smaller airport, Knock / Shannon and use staff from there to cover the main airport?

    Do ATC need to be actually at the airport or can they use computers at other airports to link into and control Dublin as long as there are some staff in Dublin?

    I would imagine that the time traveling from Shannon or Knock to Dublin and back would work out as being almost a shift. Isn't Shannon the main control for the Atlantic flights out of Europe so it would be as busy as Dublin?


  • #4
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Hamndegger wrote: »
    I would imagine that the time traveling from Shannon or Knock to Dublin and back would work out as being almost a shift. Isn't Shannon the main control for the Atlantic flights out of Europe so it would be as busy as Dublin?

    I meant that if there are any staff in Dublin (surely they can't all be sick) that staff in other airports can log-in to Dublin's systems from thier location, i.e. no travel invlolved. Can this be done or is it another case of "sure you couldn't do that in Ireland"?


  • #5
    Bogger77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    you dont do that anywhere.
    Approach control work of radar, and so in theory, can be off site, but landing control is visual and radar and so cannot be off site.

    also, the system for transferring plans from one sector to another is not electronic.


  • #6
    irishatco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46 ✭irishatco


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    Thats pretty bad for the main gateway to the country! Could they not close a smaller airport, Knock / Shannon and use staff from there to cover the main airport?

    Do ATC need to be actually at the airport or can they use computers at other airports to link into and control Dublin as long as there are some staff in Dublin?

    Controllers need a valid rating to work the airspace around Dublin airport, the only radar rated controllers in Ireland are based at the three state airports plus Baldonnel, but of those only Dublin staff hold valid ratings to work Dublin's airspace.


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  • #7
    irishatco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46 ✭irishatco


    sharkman wrote: »
    Dublin Airport closing 2330 -0630 due to ATC sickness and lack of staff

    This was superseded by another NOTAM shortly afterwards, a member of staff was found to provide cover and the airport remained open, apart from an hour and a half during the night to provide breaks (due to the number of staff being below minimums)

    Also, pedant alert: the airport was never officially to close, it was the Dublin ACC airspace that was to close. AFAIK there were staff in the tower to provide SMC services.


  • #8
    lostexpectation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,082 ✭✭✭lostexpectation


    what the difference irishatc, acronyms are only useful when everybody knows what they mean.

    why is this still happening
    i thought everything was happy happy again :P


  • #9
    irishatco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46 ✭irishatco


    lostexpectation wrote: »
    what the difference irishatc, acronyms are only useful when everybody knows what they mean.

    My apologies, I presumed people interested in the topic would be familiar with the phraseology used.

    In laymans terms there were not enough ATCOs to provide radar services within Dublin CTA (Control Area). The airport was not closed, but there was no radar service provided to traffic to allow aircraft transit the airspace and land at Dublin.
    lostexpectation wrote: »
    why is this still happening
    i thought everything was happy happy again :P

    It is happening because a number of staff reported unfit for duty last night and management were initially unsuccesful in their attempts to get short term cover.

    The recent difficulties re. overtime attendance have yet to be resolved, the Labour Court recommendations did not deal with all of the concerns expressed by staff (in particular, staffing needs going into the future) so further discussion with management was necessary. Staff are due to be balloted shortly on the outcome of those discussions, it is unlikely staff will attend for overtime until the results of that ballot are known.


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