I'm reading Ron Lee's excellent trip report and I'm struck by his experience with the "rude and unhelpful" approach controller at Las Vegas when he requested VFR flight following.
And then I read in my morning paper that the DFW Tracon is understaffed to the point of affecting safety and traffic capacity, according to the controller's union, which says this reflects a national shortage of controllers. The FAA's ATC managers, who created this problem, blithely dismiss the union's concerns, saying they see no connection between controller shortages and documented increased losses of separation.
Ron, I'm sure you are well aware that for the guy sitting at the scope, his first concern is NOT for the "safe and orderly traffic flow" you mention. First and foremost, his main job is separation of IFR traffic. He gets hammered for the dreaded "loss of separation" between IFR airplanes. Responding to VFR traffic is completely at his discretion.
So given the current shortages and hostile working conditions, it's easy to see why some of these guys are not thrilled when VFR GA airplanes pop up requesting ATC services in congested airspace. Yeah, we should all be courteous on the radio, but basically I don't blame them.
I almost never use VFR flight following, because for me, the hassles outweigh the dubious benefits. It can lead to a false sense of security. I prefer knowing that the only way I'm going to avoid traffic is to rely on myself to look out the darn window and see it, and not hope that some overworked controller may call traffic which may or may not even be squawking.
Plus, I admit it, I love living in one of the few places left on earth where we CAN fly relatively freely, without talking to a soul if we so choose. I DO always squawk VFR so airliners can see me on their TCAS, but peace and quiet on the radio is worth a lot. And anything that forces you to look out the window can't be all bad.
I love this country.
And then I read in my morning paper that the DFW Tracon is understaffed to the point of affecting safety and traffic capacity, according to the controller's union, which says this reflects a national shortage of controllers. The FAA's ATC managers, who created this problem, blithely dismiss the union's concerns, saying they see no connection between controller shortages and documented increased losses of separation.
Ron, I'm sure you are well aware that for the guy sitting at the scope, his first concern is NOT for the "safe and orderly traffic flow" you mention. First and foremost, his main job is separation of IFR traffic. He gets hammered for the dreaded "loss of separation" between IFR airplanes. Responding to VFR traffic is completely at his discretion.
So given the current shortages and hostile working conditions, it's easy to see why some of these guys are not thrilled when VFR GA airplanes pop up requesting ATC services in congested airspace. Yeah, we should all be courteous on the radio, but basically I don't blame them.
I almost never use VFR flight following, because for me, the hassles outweigh the dubious benefits. It can lead to a false sense of security. I prefer knowing that the only way I'm going to avoid traffic is to rely on myself to look out the darn window and see it, and not hope that some overworked controller may call traffic which may or may not even be squawking.
Plus, I admit it, I love living in one of the few places left on earth where we CAN fly relatively freely, without talking to a soul if we so choose. I DO always squawk VFR so airliners can see me on their TCAS, but peace and quiet on the radio is worth a lot. And anything that forces you to look out the window can't be all bad.
I love this country.