I am responsible for the issuance of the NOTAM. This stuff happens, particularly between stuff that involves both air traffic (STARS) and the flight procedures folks (Aero Nav).
Sounds like a merger is in order. Or as my old boss said, "One throat to choke." Who's responsible? No using "procedure" to hide behind. I know assigning true responsibility is unpopular these days, but one or the other group needs to be.
In fact, Aero Nav has the coordination website to give all you users an opportunity to evaluate and comment.
Under the pilot rules in this particular example, why would anyone have commented?
They'd just fly the procedure turn assuming you guys didn't allow the straight in for some obscure reason.
We hire y'all to be the experts.
(This answer comes out of regulatory agencies a lot... "We're open to comments!" but it's a non-sequitur in most corner cases like this one. Only a pilot on a vendetta to shave three minutes off of their flights would have the time to look for these.)
Most pilots would just say, "Gotta do the PT on that one." and think nothing more of it.
Nothing to comment on.
If you want to get the FAA to do better you better let your congressperson know that. Lots of luck.
I do and did. Have been a thorn in Coffman's butt for years over FAA running on Continuing Resolutions.
Whether any of it gets past his staffers, I don't know. Haven't hunted him down in person yet.
Our controller friend has gotten his shorts in such a knot over this one he has reduced himself to the status of a f***king troll. He is always right no matter what. And, he has a history of being argumentative to boot. Just think, this guy controls traffic at Green Bay, WI.
That's a nice deflection, but not root-cause.
He's been flat wrong about the rules for pilots, but I see nothing in this particular example that indicates to me he would ever lose control of the aircraft entrusted to him.
He has clearly said if no traffic were observed other than the Approach aircraft and they flew a straight-in or a PT, he didn't care. There is a difference between that and a loss of control or separation.
It's not a fair point saying you're worried about his control skills.
Sounds like he has a bone to pick with Approaches built wrong, but that's an internal battle y'all can figure out. You work for the same company, after all. Teamwork and hugs and joy and all that happy horse-pucky.
He may not know the pilot rules, but he's not going to vector someone into you while you're flying either option. Thats a stretch.
The mistake's root cause wasn't in the Tower Cab on this one. Can't get off that easy.
Saying "there are two different grumps writing different procedures" also doesn't really cut it either.
Good job fixing it, no doubt. Now go find the person who botched the thing and bop them on the head.
If they have three "deals" are they fired, forever?
Kinda looks to me like the backup system just barely worked. A controller (who doesn't care how it's flown) answered a guy's question by saying, "Don't care. Probably not really necessary out here in the real world.", the Internet exploded in opinions, and you (the only guy with both the responsibilty and authority to do so), did whatever FAA internal magic it took to issue a NOTAM.
Good job. Not Stephen's fault though. Also not a reflection on his skills as a controller.
