RedOverWhite

Good thread, Ajax.

I can't speak to whether or not you guys are nuts, but there isn't a group of controllers I'd rather work with, that's for sure. What sector do you usually work?

I'll keep the V3-MAZIE thing in mind, but if the cap'n says ask for it, well...we need a secret giraffe call or something I can throw in so you know it's me asking and you can just ignore the request

Here's a question for you: I was recently talking with my buddy that flies a BE350, frequently into TEB. What is the best way to file into TEB coming from the south? It seems the typical routing is up V16 to DQO, MXE, then V3 around the west side of PHL. I've only been into TEB twice - in pistons - and that is what I got. I'm guessing there is no way to stay east of PHL, even at a higher alt? He and I looked at all the arrivals into the various airports up there (MMU, CDW, even EWR) and didn't see anything helpful (for TP's).

Diver Driver

I'll have to second that. You guys do an amazing job... I really don't see how you all pull it off every day. Truly awesome to see it in action all the time!

Ajax

I work in the EWR area. our area has several radar sectors that I'm sure most of you that are regulars in our airspace are familiar with.

Departure (119.2)
Satellite departure (126.7) only opened at peak times
North Arrival (120.15)
22L final (125.5) combined with North arrival on offpeak times
Yardley (128.55)
Penns. This position is combined with Yardley when landing on 22L, and with North arrival when landing on 4R. Its never opened by itself.
4R final (125.5) combined with Yardley on offpeak times
Metro (132.8) Often combined with Yardley even during peak times if short on staffing
CRDA aka Rwy 11 final. (128.8) Only opened for 11 arrivals when primary rwy is 22L during peak times. When 4R is primary rwy this is combined with Mugzy.
Mugzy (127.6)
Zeebo (123.77) combined with Mugzy 99% of the time. Only opened for superpeak times

We have to maintain currency in all the sectors. I only mentioned the radar ones that you'd be talking to, but we have a few more positions (handoff positions, coordinators, sequencers, flight data, the back) that we rotate as well.

The Juice

Best Air Traffic Controllers in the world...hands down.

intrepidcv11

Just promise me that next year when it comes to RWY11 requests you guys won't be swayed by a new flat screen in the break room courtesy of Southwest Airlines Pilot Association. Some of us have been making that work for years as well as shared many beers at BBQ's out on Long Island with ya'...

Ajax

If they throw in a sports package subscription with that flat screen is going to be really hard not to give in. :P

j/k

We try be as fair and impartial as humanly possible.

johnso29

Haha. That'll get guys every time if they're unfamiliar with that departure. Maybe if they actually read how you get to WHITE.(At least I think it's WHITE) It's been a few years since my XE days.

lakehouse

Whats up Ajax,

Hello from the 182 pilot at Skydive Sussex on 127.60, we all know how much you guys LOVE us all day!! I wonder which controller you are, I know your not paul aka the wolf man. I wonder if your the one who says your welcome every time someone says thank you, or the guy who responds with Roger! in a slightly increasing pitch over the word. You could be the new guy from Texas, or you could be the female controller who is always a blast to work with, she occasional says use caution sky dumping...i mean sky diving. You could be the one guy who never ever ever wants to talk to us. You could be Randy...I think his name is Randy who keeps trying to plan a trip out here, and occasionally hands me off to weird NY freq. who ask what the cost is and phone number, and loves when I tell them Traccon IDS can spark a short $1 special on the cash register. Or the guy that was working the one day when some VFR guy from Canada called up and the controller asked what his location was, and he said about 175 miles north of Lancaster. Not sure how many guys work your sector but I feel like I always get the same 8 or 9 guys/girls. Also my Dad thinks you guys are top notch, he is a UAL bus captain, he is the one who will always tell ya to drive home safe. I have about 1000 hours flying in that airspace flying jumpers over the last year and a half, even though its busy, and we can clash, compared to NORCAL last winter, you guys rock.

Ajax

if it feels like you always get the same 8 or 9 guys, its probably not far from reality. We have 41 fully qualified controllers in my area, but many of us have our "favorite" positions, and we tend to try work those more. For example, I prefer to work yardley/penns, or north arrival/penns, or either of the finals, or departure over any of the other positions. I don't particularly care much for Mugsy mostly because I rather work with the professional pilots, instead of the gazillion VFR weekend warriors that Mugsy gets. If I get it assigned of course I wont turn it down, but I don't go out of my way to get it.

I really have mixed feelings about your skydiving operation. To be totally frank....I am amazed that to this day, we haven't had an incident with a jumper going splat over some aircraft's windshield. You guys are dropping this jumpers directly over a busy arrival fix, and as much as we try to warn both you and any inbounds about the jumps, I'm always worried about it.

I'll tell you this much....I'm not the new guy from Texas (I've been here 20 years), nor am I female. However, I'm pretty sure that you'd know instantly who I am if I tell you.

lakehouse

Haha maybe it is the wolfman? and we can not help where we are located nor will we go anywhere. However down at our south jersey location they are right on the Philly Intl Cedar Lake arrival, and they put in an INT called JUMPP for when they are jumping to bring PHL ariv. 2 miles around crosskeys airport. I think the biggest thing is communication, I know when I fly I do not drop anyone when you guys advice traffic, and it is easy for us to see the IFR arrivals as they come the same route and your eyes get trained for it. I also visited your facility to get a better idea of how your end looks. I also think you can agree the climb I use is about as out of the way as we can get, as I have been using the same exact one for over a year now, and I am basically the only one flying the 182 this year, except days I was off work. As for an accident, yes it is always something to keep in mind, but the sky is also very large, and our jumpers are trained to also look before they jump and clear the airspace, and I know I hold when you say there is IFR traffic. One thing is for sure we are not going anywhere, as we have seen massive growth over the last 2 years alone, esp with the Kingair this year, we are looking at having a full time Otter or Caravan next season, and you will soon see us similar in size to the Ranch @ Gardner NY. I just hope we get a LOA soon to streamline the process and help the IFR traffiic/jumper traffic workout smoother, I feel this year has been 100X better than last year when it came to that.

-Rick