We encourage e-mail: WHPTOWER@aol.com
Welcome. Let me start by saying thanks to all of you who have made my job here as manager a pleasant experience. I will be leaving the Air Traffic control field to assume Quality Assurance responsibilities for our company Serco Management Services. I will begin my journey sometime tomorrow with a move to Tennessee. Again thank you all for the support you have given me, and I am sure you will extend that same support to my replacement. Joel Lathon has been assigned to Whiteman since Dec 1999 and will be promoted to manager effective with today’s date. So next time you hear him on the frequency extend a congratulatory hello and wish him well.
With this being my last Controllers’ Corner I would like to add that the last month has been problem free. I did not receive any questions or concerns from the field even though we had a rough weekend when we where having some frequency problems during a young eagles weekend. Joel will be handling the Controllers’ Corner starting with the January edition. The same e-mail address will be used to answer any and all questions. I would also like to thank you for your patience as we have been training our new controllers. The tower would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season. Again thanks for letting my last year here as manager be an enjoyable one.
Lupe.
November 12, 2002
Hello and welcome once again to this month’s edition of the Controllers’ Corner. By now you all have noticed a few new voices in the Control tower, allow me to introduce our 2 new controllers. Ronald Wooldridge comes to us from Florida where he retired from the Air force after serving as an Air Traffic Controller; Christopher Zeidler comes to us after serving 8 years in the Marine Corps. Come over and stop by for a tower tour and meet the new controllers when you all have a chance.
On to this months topic.
Overall everything seems to be running smoothly. No major trouble areas have been noticed over this past month. I have not received any questions from the field so I hope you all agree that things are running smoothly on our end as well. Here are a few items you might want to familiarize yourself with over the next couple of months.
Runway 30 Ops: It is that time of year where we once again will be chasing the winds. Keep in mind that Runway 30 will once again be used occasionally over the next couple of months. You might want to touch up and go over in your own minds the procedures when Runway 30 is in use.
Bird Activity: It is also that time of year when we will have birds throughout the pattern. The birds are usually here in the early to late afternoons at pattern altitude from the four stacks in a Northwesterly transition.
Hold short instructions: Lastly but just as important with the new influx of student pilot training we should all make sure that we are reading back hold short and taxi into position and hold instructions. We all realize how vital these read back instructions are to safety.
Once again thank you for you time and keep in mind if you ever have any questions please do not hesitate to call or e-mail.
Lupe Mora
WHP ATM
October 7, 2002
Welcome back once again. Allow me start by wishing Stanley S. Stuka a great retirement. Stanley will be calling it an air traffic career after 40 + years on the 16th of this month. Stanley has served Whiteman well, and he will sorely be missed. Help me in extending our gratitude to Stanley over the next nine days. In replacing Stanley, you will be hearing a couple of new voices in the tower cab. Joining us will be a retired 20-year Air Force controller and a first term Marine from Camp Pendleton. Lets welcome them aboard as well.
On to Safety . . . over the last couple of weeks we have been experiencing some problems with aircraft inbound from the west (Rocky Peak, Simi Valley, Santa Susana Pass). If you plan your inbound from the west and are going to proceed towards the Reservoir and remain outside of Van Nuys airspace and clear of the Van Nuys ILS final approach course, then you will have no need to contact either Van Nuys tower or So Cal approach. However, if you proceed inbound along the 118 freeway, then we suggest you contact Van Nuys tower for a clearance through their airspace.
Just a reminder . . . we have all heard the phrase “Have the Numbers,” but not everyone uses it. When taxing out for departure or inbound for landing, you hear the Runway in use, Wind, and Altimeter, it would greatly be appreciated if you use the phrase that pays. Any variances of "I have the numbers," "with the numbers," or "have the numbers" would reduce the amount of time that the frequency would be congested. This could help us all keep the frequency open for other transmissions, such as traffic advisories or traffic sequences.
Thank you for your time, and again if you have any questions please do not hesitate in calling or e-mailing.
Lupe Raul Mora.
Welcome once again to the Controllers` Corner. Hope you all enjoy the information that is being given out for the benefit of both the pilots and controllers` here at Whiteman. We have not received any feedback or questions in the last couple of weeks so, hopefully, all is running smoothly from this side of the runway. The new voice you all are hearing on the frequency is that of our latest certified controller, Tony Velarde. Tony brings our manning level to our max level once again. Hopefully, it will remain that way at least through the end of the year. Lets move on to this week’s edition.
I received these proposals from a pilot here at Whiteman. They bring up a previous concern of frequency congestion I had mentioned in an earlier edition. There has been overall improvement in this area, but I for one think that a reminder every once in a while is helpful. Here are his proposals word for word.
1. Propose in the Controllers Corner that departing pilots immediately begin monitoring ground upon engine start and not call ground until in a position that is visible to the tower. Odds are that they’ll hear the numbers before they make their call.
2. Propose that arriving pilots if not talking with SoCal, BUR, or VNY monitor tower beginning 20 miles out. Odds are that they’ll also hear the numbers before they make their call.
These are both great ideas and they would cut down on frequency congestion. Another area that can be worked on is saying your request on initial contact. The concerned pilot also addressed this issue by writing:
One of your previous columns discussed pilots not making a proper first call. When a pilot makes his first call “Whiteman ground, Cessna 1234A” or “Whiteman tower Cessna 1234A”, following his second transmission the controller might politely say “Sir/Ma’am”, if you would include your request on your first transmission next time we’d appreciate it”. We pilots can be trained and if done in the proper manner it won’t embarrass the pilot in front of any passengers.
I agree wholeheartedly, a simple reminder may be all that is needed is this case. However the controller may not always have the time to do so.
One area of great concern is aircraft turning base on their own without a clearance. On several occasions when aircraft report abeam the tower instead of continuing on the downwind they proceed onto a base turn without a sequence or a clearance to land. If we do not give a sequence or a clearance you are to continue on your downwind leg. At no time should you just automatically turn base on your own.
I would like to thank the pilot who took the time and energy to come up with these great proposals and encourage everyone to get involved in improving the safety of the flying community at Whiteman. Once again thank you for your time.
Lupe Mora.
WHP ATM
Welcome all again to yet another edition of the Controllers` Corner. I would like to first thank everyone who has submitted a question or who has sent an e-mail just to show their support of the Controllers` Corner and the web site. I think everyone can benefit from such a forum and we should continue to promote and encourage participation.
Moving on to this week’s topic.
In previous editions I had discussed
some issue with you all concerning such topics as:
Frequency usage, Upwind entering
procedures, Overhead procedures, Establishing two-way radio communications,
Runway exiting procedures, and other such topics relating to safety. I
would like to add that overall the message has been getting out and improvement
in all the above mentioned areas has improved. We in the tower appreciate
the extra time everyone is taking in and we thank you for your efforts.
Recently I have been asked on more than one occasion when we the tower would like for the pilots to report Newhall Pass. In the last edition I had mentioned that everyone has a different definition of where Newhall Pass begins and that on area maps Newhall Pass begins just north of the reservoir as your outbound however when proceeding inbound through the pass, Newhall encompasses such a large area of space that no true definition has ever been published. Well thanks to John Marshall I think we finally have an answer. I feel it would be wise to report Newhall Pass inbound when you believe you are in the middle of the pass. Which would put you at or near the 5/14 interchange, Roughly 7 miles northwest of Whiteman.
On to some question from the field.
Question: WHP is published in the AFD as left traffic for 12. My understanding is ATC can authorize right traffic but after the tower closes left traffic becomes mandatory and it’s a FAR violation to fly right traffic. If I’m routed up through BUR airspace south of the 5 Fwy at night, I’ll do a crosswind entry between the 4 stacks and Osborne Ave. for left traffic. Other pilots say that the right downwind is fine when the tower is closed. Who’s right?
Answer: You are correct, the standard pattern for Rwy 12 while the control tower is closed is left traffic. I would continue to do a crosswind entry via the four stacks when inbound from Burbank for left traffic while monitoring the local frequency (135.0). This has been an ongoing issue for sometime. There are times when I arrive early for my morning shift before the tower opens and I hear aircraft entering right traffic for Rwy 12 inbound from Burbank or even worse entering from a right base from Van Nuys. This leaves very little time to adjust your flight path when there are other aircraft in the pattern. If you continue to follow the FAR regulations then you always have something to fall back on if anything should every happen.
Question: Is special VFR at the discretion of the WHP tower or is it coordinated with SoCal? Will it have delays like an IFR departure does?
Answer: SVFR is at the discretion of Whiteman tower. As the rule states only one SVFR aircraft can be within the class Delta at any given time unless the preceding SVFR aircraft has reported in VFR conditions or has reported leaving the class Delta or visual separation can be maintained.
Once again thanks for your questions
and keep them coming.
Welcome again to another edition of the Controllers` Corner. I’ll start by introducing our latest controller. His name is Tony Velarde; Tony will be joining us on the 28th of June. Tony is a retired FAA controller and comes to us from Van Nuys with 25 plus years of Air Traffic Controlling experience. He is familiar with the area/airspace of Whiteman and should be fully certified in no time at all. Lets all participate in welcoming Tony aboard.
On to this weeks topic.
Here are a few questions that I have received over the past few weeks.
1. Question - In the 3-28-02 edition, you mention that pilots should state call sign and intentions in the first radio transmission. My instructor taught me to always “get their attention first” then state intentions. I’m a fairly new pilot (95hrs) and I was wondering if this is a Whiteman preference, or if this is the way it should be done with all control towers.
Answer – All controllers have been trained to receive and expect to hear the Aircraft I.D, position, and intentions of the aircraft. For example: Whiteman tower N123AB at Newhall pass inbound for landing. This way we as controllers can give you what you want on initial contact. This helps in reducing time being spent on the frequency. You can also refer to the AIM in Section 2. Radio Communications Phraseology and Techniques. Paragraph 4-2-3 Contact Procedures.
2. Question – Where does Newhall Pass begin and at what point would you like us to report Newhall Pass.
Answer – Everyone has a different definition of where Newhall Pass begins. On area maps Newhall Pass begins just north of the reservoir as your outbound. When proceeding inbound through the pass, Newhall encompasses such a large area of space that no true definition has ever been published. We would like for you as the pilot to report your most accurate position whether it be Magic Mountain, the 210/05 interchange and so on. This helps us all during those busy periods when traffic advisories become crucial as you go through the pass.
As the busy summer months approach, I would like to cover runway-exiting procedures. Per the AIM, SECTION 4-3-20 Exiting the Runway after landing. All aircraft shall taxi clear of the runway unless otherwise directed by ATC. In the absence of ATC instructions the pilot is expected to taxi clear of the landing runway by clearing the hold position marking associated with the landing runway even if that requires the aircraft to protrude into or cross another taxiway or ramp area. This does not authorize an aircraft to cross a subsequent taxiway/runway/ramp after clearing the landing runway. Basically what we want an aircraft to do after reaching a taxing speed is to exit at the first available taxiway and to continue pass the hold short lines. This will help us in expediting the movement of aircraft.
Thank you all again, and if at anytime you have a question do not hesitate to call or e-mail.
Lupe Mora.
WHP ATM.
Once again, welcome to the Controllers` Corner. I would like to start by wishing Francis Bugay the best of luck with his transfer to Brown Field and thanking him for his services while here at Whiteman. To replace Francis we are in the process of hiring another Retired FAA controller from Van Nuys. On to this weeks topic.
Last week, we had a breakdown in communications between a pilot and a controller. Without getting into too much detail, I would once again like to point out what is says in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) and stress the importance of keeping all transmission brief and to the point. Basically with regards to last weeks breakdown a control instruction was unable to be given due to the lengthy transmission and the point of the transmission. In this case the pilot thought he was right in letting the controller know that a re-sequence was probably in order. Unfortunately, the length of the transmission caused or kept the controller from giving the proper control instruction or the re-sequence.
Per Section 2. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS PHRASEOLOGY and TECHNIQUES.
4-2-1. General.
a. Radio communications are a critical link in the ATC system. The link can be a strong bond between pilot and controller or it can be broken with surprising speed and disastrous results. Discussion herein provides basic procedures for new pilots and also highlights safe operating concepts for all pilots.
b. The single, most important thought in pilot-controller communications is understanding. It is essential, therefore, that pilots acknowledge each radio communication with ATC by using the appropriate aircraft call sign. BREVITY IS IMPORTANT AND CONTACTS SHOULD BE KEPT AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE, but controllers must know what you want to do before they can properly carry out their control duties. And you, the pilot, must know exactly what the controller wants you to do. Since concise phraseology may not always be adequate, use whatever words are necessary to get your message across. Pilots are to maintain vigilance in monitoring air traffic control radio communications frequencies for potential traffic conflicts with their aircraft especially when operating on an active runway and/or when conducting a final approach to landing.
c. All pilots will find the Pilot/Control Glossary very helpful in learning what certain words or phrases mean. Good phraseology enhances safety and is the mark of a professional pilot. Jargon, chatter, and “CB” slang have no place in ATC communications. The Pilot/Controller Glossary is the same glossary used in FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control. We recommend that it be studied and reviewed from time to time to sharpen your communication skills.
4-2-2. Radio Technique.
a. Listen before you transmit. Many times you can get the information you want through the ATIS or by monitoring the frequency. Except for a few situations where some frequency overlap occurs, if you hear someone else talking, the keying of your transmitter will be futile and you will probably jam their receivers causing them to repeat their call. If you have just changed frequencies, pause, listen, and make sure the frequency is clear.
b. Think before keying your transmitter. Know what you want to say and if it is lengthy; e.g., a flight plan or IFR position report, jot it down.
Note: C thru F are helpful hints
for the pilot to use.
Once again thank you for your time
and please do not hesitate to call or e-mail with any suggestions.
Lupe Mora
WHP ATM.
Welcome again, I `d like to start by wishing everyone a happy and safe Memorial weekend. Lets start with an update in reference to last weeks topic about our problem with the ground frequency. As of this past Tuesday we adjusted the squelch feature on the frequency, and after some testing the problem appears to be fixed. We will continue to monitor and annotate any future problems associated with the ground control frequency.
In this issue, I would like to touch on a subject that is becoming a problem, if not one all ready. Over the past few weeks, we have been experiencing aircraft entering the Whiteman class “D” airspace without first establishing two-way communications with the Control Tower.
Per the AIM: page 3-2-8 paragraph 3-2-5 CLASS D AIRSPACE
3. Arrival or Through Flight Entry Requirements. Two-way radio communication must be established with the ATC facility providing ATC services prior to entry and thereafter maintain those communications while in the Class D airspace. Pilots of arriving aircraft should contact the Control Tower on the publicized frequency and give their position, altitude, destination, and any request(s). Radio contact should be initiated far enough from the Class D airspace boundary to preclude entering the Class D airspace before two-way radio communication is established.
NOTE-
1. If the controller responds
to a radio call with “( aircraft callsign ) standby”
Radio communications have been
established and the pilot can enter the Class D airspace.
2. If workload or traffic conditions prevent immediate entry into Class D airspace, the controller will inform the pilot to remain outside the Class D airspace until conditions permit entry.
(EXAMPLE)
1. “( aircraft callsign )
remain outside the Class D airspace and standby.”
*******VERY IMPORTANT******
It is important to understand that
if the Controller responds to the initial radio call WITHOUT USING the
aircraft callsign, radio communications HAVE NOT been established, and
the pilot MAY NOT ENTER the Class D airspace.
(EXAMPLE)
“ Aircraft calling Whiteman tower
standby.”
These are the procedures we (Controllers) expect you to use, if you are inbound from Van Nuys and have not been given a frequency change by Van Nuys, then I suggest you ask for one before entering Whiteman Class D airspace. Same thing goes if you are communicating with SoCal Approach and have not been giving a frequency change. Whiteman Tower is NOT GIVEN any inbound information from either of these two facilities with regards to inbound aircraft. We will begin adhering to these standards and administering the necessary paperwork if need be to preclude this becoming an ongoing issue.
Once again thank you for your time and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to e-mail or call us at the tower.
Lupe Raul Mora
WHP ATM
May-17-2002
Welcome again to this weeks edition of the Controllers` Corner. We have not received any questions from pilots so we would like to address certain topics pertaining to ground operations. We have been experiencing difficulties establishing radio communications with aircraft on the field. With the recent building of the new hangers in the north ramp, pilots are not always able to reach the tower until they get to the end of the blue hangers near the run up area for Rwy 12. We have some of the same problems with aircraft taxing out of the east hangers. We are assuming the problem is with the line of sight from the tower. I am having our radio technician come out and see if there is anything that can been done with this problem such as adjusting the antenna or tweaking the radios to get a better reception. In the meantime, we are suggesting that you taxi to the end of the blue hangers and contact ground control from there, when taxing out from the east hangers we suggest you contact ground control just as you are getting the tower in sight adjacent to Schiff Aviation. This brings us to our next issue. Taxing procedures on non-movement areas. Non-movement areas are taxiways and ramp areas not under the control of Air Traffic. This includes all areas north of Taxiway Alpha. The only areas that ground control have responsibility for are Runway 12/30 and the parallel taxiway (Taxiway Alpha) to include Taxiways Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. This is due to the restricted visibility of the ramps and vehicles moving not in contact with the tower. With this in mind, all movement on non-movement areas is at the pilots own risk, and communication with the tower is not necessary.
Once again thank you for your time, and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to e-mail or call us at the tower.
WHP STAFF.
Question 1. I have noticed that pilots calling from Newhall pass landing are located anywhere from Magic Mountain to the intersection of the 5 and the 14 freeways. Where physically would you like pilots to report "Newhall pass"? Or where are you expecting pilots to be when they report at Newhall pass?
Answer: We prefer you to report your actual position. If you are at Magic Mountain, you should report Magic Mountain inbound, if you are 5 and 14 interchange you should report the interchange. The best way to handle this would be to give us your best position possible within 7-10 of Whiteman class “D” airspace. I realize that the Newhall Pass covers a large area of space, but there is no reason to call us inbound when you are more than 10 miles away from Whiteman (unless your exceeding 200 knots or operating a jet) because our limited radar coverage is not set to track you that far out, and we loose coverage in some areas.
Question 2. When transitioning from the Pasadena area to Whiteman using the "210 transition" to avoid encroaching into Burbank's class "C" airspace you must fly very close to the south slope of the San Gabriel mountains. Radar service is normally terminated around the Rose Bowl. A call to Whiteman tower over Sunland usually results in a clearance to report at the 210 / 118 interchange for a base leg to runway 12. For MY safety's sake I would like to track above the 210 freeway, but this track puts me in Burbank's Class "C" airspace. How can I make this happen as opposed to the altitude and the airspace restrictions of Burbank's airspace?
Answer: I propose if you feel uncomfortable flying too close to the San Gabriel Mountains you call Burbank Tower and request a transition through their airspace inbound to Whiteman. If you do not want to talk to Burbank Tower simply remain about 1 mile north of the 210 freeway and report inbound from Sunland Tujunga area.
Helicopter Operations: All helicopter low approaches will now be executed to the south of the Tower between taxiway Charlie and taxiway Delta. This change in procedure is to have a built-in separation from fix-winged aircraft and helicopter operations. This will also reduce any possible noise complaints and keep the approach end of Rwy 12 clear of any debris.
Once again thank you for your questions and keep it safe.
WHP TOWER STAFF.
Hello and welcome to the # 5 edition of the Controllers` Corner. We are now into our well into our second month of the web site, and I for one believe that this has been a great avenue to express our safety related concerns. First a question from the field and then on to this week’s agenda.
1. Question: I used to enjoy tower visits now and again in our pre 9-11 era. Any light at the end of the tower visiting tunnel or will they be off limits forever?
2. Answer: Thanks for your question. If you refer to GENOT RWA 2/17, there are several requirements to be met. When completed, the Whiteman tower visitor policy will be put on the Whiteman safety web site (whpsafety.org) and published in the Whiteman airport newsletter.
FOLLOW UP: In GENOT RWA 2/17, it states that we need FAA approved visitor badges. As it turns out, we will not be required to use these badges. Therefore effective immediately, we will once again be allowing tower visits. In case you do not have access to the GENOT this is what it states.
1. Approval by the facility
manager. (ATM)
2. All visitors must provide
one form of photo ID, preferably a driver’s
license identifying current residence.
3. All visitors must sign
in on a visitor log.
4. All visitors must be escorted
at all times while in the facility.
NOTE: No foreign nationals will be allowed unless approved through FAA channels. Since the policy states that all visitors be escorted during a tower visit, we will limit tower tours to times when there are 2 or more controllers on duty.
I realize that for some individuals,
a tower visit can seem like a nice getaway and a chance to see the world
from a controllers` point of view. It can also be a learning experience
for some of our younger and less experienced pilots so I welcome the opportunity
in once again being able to provide this service.
BURBANK TRANSITIONS
1. When you are headed through Burbank class “C” airspace advise the ground controller of your intentions and provide the controller with the following four items: Call-sign, Type A/C, Requested Altitude, and Destination. By offering this information in a timely manner coordination is cut in half, and we are better suited in providing information to Burbank tower personnel, who in turn enter this information into their computer system. This information is used to better assist and provide traffic advisories to all aircraft.
This concludes this weeks edition
hope to see some of you all soon during a visit. Keep those questions
coming.
Thanks,
Whiteman tower Staff.
I would like to thank and remind you all that this is an open forum to express your concerns and to raise any safety issues that one may believe exists. Furthermore, if you feel that your particular issue should be dealt with on a one-on-one basis, feel free to give me a call. Tue-Fri. or if you wish, feel free to leave a message with one of the other controllers, and they will relay that message to me. That being said, lets move on to this weeks topic.
Overhead Approach procedures:
1. Question: When executing an overhead approach to Runway 12 where would you like us (pilots) to request it, and what altitude do you expect us to be at the break?
2. Answer: The best time to let us know that you would like to execute the Overhead Approach would be on initial contact with the control tower. The break altitude shall be executed at 2500 as to not interfere with our downwind pattern traffic. Your break point shall be determined by existing traffic i.e. break at the numbers, midfield, or departure end. Basically you break into the pattern out of 2500 to 2000 onto the downwind leg followed by a sequence if necessary or a clearance to land. If no sequence is given, you can consider yourself #1 for the runway.
Combining of the LC/GC position:
1. Question: Just wondering why you transmit to aircraft on both ground & tower frequencies at the same time when you have 2 or more controllers on duty. It’s confusing, frustrating, and stressful when your inbound at 140 knots, having reached a reporting point and can’t communicate because the tower is giving a clearance, or taxi instructions on ground control to an aircraft parked in the run-up area or moving about on the ground. On busy days (weekends) why can’t this potential safety issue be handled by separate controllers like most airports?
2. Answer: Due to our staffing level the past several months, it has not been feasible to man the positions separately; however, after this past Tuesday, we now have our full complement of certified controllers, and you should all see and hear a vast improvement in this area.
In closing I would like to continue to invite you all in keeping this line of communication open to everyone here at Whiteman by spreading the word about this website. 'Till next week.
WHP Tower Staff.
April 4, 2002
Good day to all once again, sorry about not getting our 3rd edition out on time last week, but the computer here at work took a nosedive, and I had to get it up and running. We had our first question from the field. The question asked was why the GPS “B” approach was not authorized on a certain weekend not too long ago. Well after making some phone calls it turns out that the GPS “B” approach was never officially authorized, and, in fact, there is a Notam that states so. We believe it is awaiting a flight check. On to this weeks safety and flight update.
We have all heard the phrase “Have the Numbers,” but not everyone uses it. When taxing out for departure or inbound for landing, you hear the Runway in use, Wind, and Altimeter, it would greatly be appreciated if you use the phrase that pays. Any variances of "I have the numbers," "with the numbers," or "have the numbers" would reduce the amount of time that the frequency would be congested. This could help us all in keeping the frequency open for other transmissions, such as traffic advisories or traffic sequences.
On the same topic of keeping the frequencies open and free of excessive verbage, a good operating practice is the combining of transmissions. Recently we have been getting an influx of pilots who establish contact with the control tower first and then say their request. We understand that if you are taxing out for departure and advise us of a request that this would be acceptable, but in some cases, they are establishing contact just to request a taxi for departure or establish contact when their inbound instead of just reporting inbound with their position. By trying to establish contact first, we now have had to block the frequency for a total of 5 transmissions for one aircraft, when under normal circumstances, the aircraft would call with intentions, we in turn give out instructions, and the aircraft would respond back with a read-back of the instructions for a total of 3 transmission. Now one aircraft doing this shouldn’t be a problem, now imagine this happening on a busy weekend and more than one aircraft doing this, and I think you can see how the frequency would become congested, and we might have a problem on our hands.
This concludes this week’s edition of the Controllers` Corner. Once again feel free to call or e-mail with any concerns you might have.
Thanks,
Guadalupe R. Mora
WHP ATM
3/28/02
Good day to everyone. In my
haste to get the above first edition of the Controllers` Corner out to
the masses last week I failed in introducing the staff here at Whiteman.
Whiteman Tower is staffed with a total of 5 controllers and operates from
8am till 8pm year-round.
Our current staff consists of:
1. Guadalupe R. Mora – (USAF - 1
½ Years)
2. Stanley S. Stuka – (Retired
FAA – 3 Years in May)
3. Joel T. Lathon – (USMC – 2 Years
4 Months)
4. Francis A. Bugay – (USMC – 5
Months)
5. Ed Smither – (Retired FAA –
Begins in March)
Note: Experience and time at Whiteman
Tower are in parenthesis.
On to safety, last week I had mentioned that the upwind entry would only be used when Runway 12 was the primary runway in use, well it has come to my attention that this was an inaccurate statement. Even when Rwy 30 is the primary runway the use of the upwind entry will be used on occasion. If this should happen to you while in flight just listen to the controllers instructions and if you’re not sure on what to do just ask the controller to repeat his instructions. While on the topic of being unfamiliar it is best if you advise the controller as soon as possible that you are unfamiliar with the area or if on the ground just ask for progressive taxi instructions.
In the past few weeks, we have had an ongoing discussion about formation flights. Per Title 19 of the L.A County Codes Manual under Airports and Harbors Attachment D, page 19-22, Rule 19.04.780 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS – FORMATION TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, formation takeoffs and landings shall not be permitted (Ord 9979 Art. 4 & 67, 1970.) As the rule above has stated, no Formation Flights at Whiteman airport shall be permitted. If you call up as a flight, you can expect individual handling; and at no time shall you be considered a flight formation.
This concludes this week’s edition,
once again feel free to call or e-mail with any comments.
Thanks,
Guadalupe R. Mora
WHP ATM
Posted 3/15/02
I would also like to introduce a forum to provide a line of communication between the pilots and controllers. On a weekly basis we will be addressing safety concerns associated within the WHP class D surface area. This should be a two-way forum. Feel free to email with any questions or concerns related to airport traffic safety.
One of the first items of concern is the upwind entry. Over the past few months we have experienced some problems with this procedure. First off, the upwind entry will only be used when RWY 12 is the primary runway. The proper way to execute the upwind entry is to do so at 2000ft between the railroad tracks and interstate 5 preferably over San Fernando Rd. When told to enter the upwind the controller will use the following phraseology.
"N1234A enter the upwind report crossing the 118 freeway. RWY 12 in use, Wind, Alt." At this point the aircraft shall off-set from final and establish himself or herself over San Fernando Rd. After the pilot reports the 118 freeway, the controller will have the aircraft break at the numbers or cross over at midfield or departure end for left traffic. At this point the aircraft will be given a sequence or a clearance to land. Thus completing the upwind entry procedure.
I hope this clears up any miscommunication regarding upwind entry procedures. If any one has any questions or would like to introduce themselves feel free to call or email.
Thanks for your time.
Lupe Raul Mora
WHP ATM
Posted 3/5/02