Continuous Closed Traffic Approved

One of our Class D controllers has taken issuing clearances such as

"Seneca 1234X, continuous closed traffic approved, cleared for the
option, no need to report base, I'll let you know of any arriving
traffic."

What he's basically authorizing is operating in the traffic pattern at
will without landing clearances. I suspect that he's engrossed with
his PlayStation that they have in the tower and doesn't want to be
bothered with a sole aircraft doing pattern work.

Anyone else had clearance such as this? (I'm not quite comfortable
with it. Just seems wrong.)

I used to get a clearance like this on a regular basis, lazy Sunday
afternoon, Grand Forks North Dakota, only aircraft in the area.

He "tower" is authorizing continuous traffic pattern operations.. with
landing clearance.. "cleared for the option" is a landing clearance, stop
and go, touch and go, or go around..

I would get "cleared for the option, all runways".. then when someone else
approached Tower would ask me to "keep it on the east runway while NWA
lands.. he's coming in from the south", and I would acknowledge and do as
cleared.

Could really work some figure 8 patterns with a double north/south runway
plus one east/west runway. Take off north on the west side, left turn out,
downwind for the east runway, left base, left turn to final landing east,
left turn on take off, left downwind for the south runway on the east side,
left base, left turn to final, take off south bound, right 180 to final to
the north on the west runway.. then mix it up a bit.. take off north.. right
180 to land to the south, left pattern to land to the west on the cross
runway.. right turn out to land to the south on the west side... yada yada
yada..

I doubt there is a play station in the tower cab, but he's got weather
observations to record, plus other administrative papers, plus logging every
landing for his traffic count. His pay is based on traffic count.. every
landing and departure you make counts.. he does not want to miss one.

BT

"Greg Esres" wrote in message
...
One of our Class D controllers has taken issuing clearances such as

"Seneca 1234X, continuous closed traffic approved, cleared for the
option, no need to report base, I'll let you know of any arriving
traffic."

What he's basically authorizing is operating in the traffic pattern at
will without landing clearances. I suspect that he's engrossed with
his PlayStation that they have in the tower and doesn't want to be
bothered with a sole aircraft doing pattern work.

Anyone else had clearance such as this? (I'm not quite comfortable
with it. Just seems wrong.)

Greg Esres wrote:

Anyone else had clearance such as this? (I'm not quite comfortable
with it. Just seems wrong.)

Yup.

I also had a controller tell me that my comms were "unnecessary" one
night and he would call me back if he wanted me to change what I was
doing. Conditions were so calm, I was landing, rolling out, pulling a
"U" turn, and departing in the opposite direction. G

Since I was the only one even thinking about being in his airspace, I
didn't see a big deal.

I get that here in Jackson Hole while testing my firebreathing
experimental. If nothing is coming the tower clears me for any option I
need. When traffic approaches I get a heads up and I either land or
clear the area. They do have paperwork, record ATIS, and various other
duties ya know.


Ben
www.Haaspowerair.com

What he's basically authorizing is operating in the traffic pattern at
will without landing clearances. I suspect that he's engrossed with
his PlayStation that they have in the tower and doesn't want to be
bothered with a sole aircraft doing pattern work.

With GA traffic down so far in many parts of the country, there are a
LOT of controllers with nothing much to do. When flying mid-week
through Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, airspace, we are often the
only (or, at most, one of two or three) aircraft they may be working.

Those guys would have to have the internet, or an X-Box, or SOMETHING
to keep their sanity, under those circumstances. Does it really make
sense for them to make the last guy left in their airspace report his
base leg every time he goes 'round the circuit?

it's really sad. I'm afraid we're witnessing the death throes of GA in
many parts of America, ladies and gents.
--
Jay Honeck
Owner/Innkeeper/Webmaster
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

BTIZ wrote:



I doubt there is a play station in the tower cab, but he's got weather
observations to record,

There's a weather observer for that, they're in the small tower at GFK.


plus other administrative papers,

There's none.


plus logging every
landing for his traffic count.

When the controller clears you for multiple operations like that he
can't count each one. You could stay up for an hour, that's a two count.


His pay is based on traffic count.. every
landing and departure you make counts.. he does not want to miss one.

Which is why he should give you separate clearances.

Jay Honeck wrote:




With GA traffic down so far in many parts of the country, there are a
LOT of controllers with nothing much to do. When flying mid-week
through Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, airspace, we are often the
only (or, at most, one of two or three) aircraft they may be working.

Those guys would have to have the internet, or an X-Box, or SOMETHING
to keep their sanity, under those circumstances. Does it really make
sense for them to make the last guy left in their airspace report his
base leg every time he goes 'round the circuit?

Our traffic count is the lowest on weekends. We have internet in the
tower now, all facilities do.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I get that here in Jackson Hole while testing my firebreathing
experimental. If nothing is coming the tower clears me for any option I
need. When traffic approaches I get a heads up and I either land or
clear the area. They do have paperwork, record ATIS, and various other
duties ya know.


Ben
www.Haaspowerair.com


Cool link, you didn't have any specifics on the HP, climb rate or max cruise
though, I'm curious to see those numbers! Neat idea.

-----------------------------------------------
DW

Our traffic count is the lowest on weekends. We have internet in the
tower now, all facilities do.


This is odd. I would expect it to be highest on the weekend.... at
least for GA aircraft. Does anyone have factual or approximate
figures on how much GA traffic has changed in the last few
months/years?

Ron Lee

Ron Lee wrote:

Our traffic count is the lowest on weekends. We have internet in the
tower now, all facilities do.



This is odd. I would expect it to be highest on the weekend.... at
least for GA aircraft.


I'm sure there are facilities who are busier on weekends. Most of our
traffic is airlines and cargo which flies a lot less or not at all on
weekends. Our Sunday traffic is about a third of the weekday average.