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  #11  
Old 10th November 2011, 08:04 AM
Phil M Phil M is offline
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Airport Coordination Australia allocate slot times, that if everyone met, would ensure the 80 an hour cap would not be breached. But in everyday operations, some run a little late, some a little early and some small delays in one 15 minute block can give the tower a few more aircraft to depart in the next block(s).

As long as the arrival load is full, and the departure queues are full, the cap can be easily broken, but it involves full loads (and a good sequence of aircraft) for a full hour.

We regularly have "cap threat periods" where the movements are counted and may have to slightly delay a departure or two until the next 15 minute block.
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  #12  
Old 10th November 2011, 10:32 AM
Jarden S Jarden S is offline
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Thats another reason why the cap should be lifted if the next 15 mins block of flights have to be delayed because too many in the previous block which causes burning more fuel while on a hold point will just increase greenhouse gas emmisions, when we are trying to reduce our nations carbon footprint. not too mention will delay the public from getting from A to B which is really unneccesary. A plane should only be delayed for a mecanical fault not for a movement cap. Does arrival planes have to keep circling in the air until the cap is clear for landing also?
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  #13  
Old 10th November 2011, 10:56 AM
Owen H Owen H is offline
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And therein lies the whole problem - the movement cap should be a planning restriction only. As long as aircraft are scheduled to arrive or depart within the window then that should be sufficient. If you occasionally go one or two over the limit due to a few late departures, then so be it.

This new 15 minute window is also plainly absurd. I have sat at the holding point at the end of the busy period for two windows with no aircraft at the holding point to depart after us - so while the 80/hr cap was never in danger of being breached, the 15 minute limitation meant an increased delay of about 20 minutes.

How many times in the last few years has the 80 cap been breached? Not very many I would think is the answer! And that is despite not having a rediculous 15 minute window limitation. Aircraft operations do tend to "clump", and this system just increases the delay for everyone.

While we are at it and saving the world, we also need to change the situation regarding the 5am arrivals. The planners approve 5am arrivals as long as it is on 34L only - so aircraft waste rediculous amounts of fuel carrying reserve fuel to hold til 6am in case they can't land, and end up going around in circles for an hour, resulting in massive delays for the whole airport when it opens up at 6.

Its time we got smart and just said "you must land on 34L unless it becomes operationally unsuitable due to tailwinds, when you may land on the required runway". Less fuel wastage, less pollution, and less congestion, and it provides what aircraft and passengers need - some level of confidence of an on time arrival.
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