En route altitudes and safety

In article SNhtk.966$w51.146@trnddc01, "Mike"
wrote:

The controller is not going to bust you by a small altitude deviation based
on what he sees on his scope.

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

John Smith wrote:

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

If that is the case, they are probably not nit picking 100 ft. deviations.
Since altitude is reported in 100 ft. increments by the encoder, it's pretty
normal for a controller to see +/- 100 ft. when someone is flying right on
the altitude. If you're flying 1 ft. above your assigned altitude, a
properly working encoder could show you to be 100 ft. high. Last time I
visited a TRACON, there were numerous targets that were +/- 100 ft. and the
controller assumed they were flying the correct altitude.

300 ft. is where they start asking questions. If your real altitude and
your squawked altitude differ by 300 ft. or more, ATC will have you turn off
the Mode C (assuming that cycling didn't help).

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

--
Message posted via http://www.aviationkb.com

"JGalban via AviationKB.com" u32749@uwe wrote in message
news:8950357b63687@uwe...
John Smith wrote:

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

If that is the case, they are probably not nit picking 100 ft.
deviations.
Since altitude is reported in 100 ft. increments by the encoder, it's
pretty
normal for a controller to see +/- 100 ft. when someone is flying right on
the altitude. If you're flying 1 ft. above your assigned altitude, a
properly working encoder could show you to be 100 ft. high. Last time I
visited a TRACON, there were numerous targets that were +/- 100 ft. and
the
controller assumed they were flying the correct altitude.

300 ft. is where they start asking questions. If your real altitude and
your squawked altitude differ by 300 ft. or more, ATC will have you turn
off
the Mode C (assuming that cycling didn't help).

There's been numerous busts of 200' in the last few months, so the margin
for error becomes less.

On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:09:01 GMT, "JGalban via AviationKB.com"
u32749@uwe wrote:

John Smith wrote:

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

If that is the case, they are probably not nit picking 100 ft. deviations.
Since altitude is reported in 100 ft. increments by the encoder, it's pretty
normal for a controller to see +/- 100 ft. when someone is flying right on
the altitude. If you're flying 1 ft. above your assigned altitude, a
properly working encoder could show you to be 100 ft. high. Last time I
visited a TRACON, there were numerous targets that were +/- 100 ft. and the
controller assumed they were flying the correct altitude.

A properly set encoder will not switch to the next altitude until 50'.
So 1149 will read 1100, 1150 will read 1200. That doesn't even
include the allowable instrument error in the altimeter.

"John Smith" wrote in message
...
In article SNhtk.966$w51.146@trnddc01, "Mike"
wrote:

The controller is not going to bust you by a small altitude deviation
based
on what he sees on his scope.

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

There is no snitch patch in the TRACONs and towers. Controllers self
report almost all errors. The centers have had the snitch patch for years.

On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:43:18 -0400, John Smith wrote:

In article SNhtk.966$w51.146@trnddc01, "Mike"
wrote:

The controller is not going to bust you by a small altitude deviation based
on what he sees on his scope.

The problem is, FAA HQ has recently state that the controller is being
taken out of the loop and the deviations are being automatically
recorded. The controllers don't like it and have voiced their concerns
in the past few weeks.

What's the turnaround time for the FSDO letter with the new automated
system?