127.6mhz - Sydney Tower Coordinator
 

Good evening

This is the first time that I have heard this frequency in use. I presume because of the heavy delays using one runway this evening. Does anyone know how often this is used?

Current delays about an hour.

Cheers
Mark

It doesn't get used too often, but it can be used for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

If ATC want to speak 'off air' (not on one of the regular busy frequencies) to a pilot about an issue, for example maybe something about their flight plan that might take a bit of discussion to work out;

When start clearances are required if there's extensive delays because of poor weather like thunderstorms, or like today when single runway ops are in use and they want to keep the taxiway system free as much as possible to avoid congestion;

If there's an open microphone that's clogging up one of the normal frequencies then ATC will go to 127.6 until the culprit can be found or until it clears itself up.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Actually, it's in use all the time for Sydney-Brisbane movements with COBT's.

Thanks Nigel. It certainly made for some interesting listening and everyone sounded calm and "resigned" to their fate given the weather conditions.

COBT's?

Calculated Off-Blocks Time - a time that's centrally determined and coordinated by Airservices for the departure of an aircraft and calculated to ensure the same aircraft will reach its destination at the correct time. It's basically a ground delay system and works to sequence aircraft at the destination and avoid or minimise airborne holding

Ta. Although it's programmed on our radios, we dont use or monitor that frequency unless instructed to.