Controllers juggle in-coming planes, no near miss

| 18/02/2014

(CNS): Reports by members of the public regarding what they thought was a near miss on Sunday was just a routine landing for the airport. A West Jet aircraft which approached too high continued on for a second run at landing, while a local CAL Express flight from the Sister Islands moved underneath to take the landing slot. Officials said that while people may have perceived that the planes were in close proximity, neither aircraft was compromised or in any danger at all. “The air traffic controller had both aircraft in sight,” airport officials said. “The controller used standard procedures to ensure continued safe operations."

The CIAA said it remained committed to the safety of airlines and the travelling public and assured members of the public that its air traffic controllers continue to uphold international standards governing air safety.

With only one runway, air traffic controllers at Owen Roberts need to be efficient in order to prevent delays. As a result, the controller was able to bring in the local flight while the international airline was re-positioning itself without causing any problems and ensuring that planes were coming down in a safe but timely fashion.

Related article on CNS Business:

Air traffic controllers aimto raise profession

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: Local News

About the Author ()

Comments (14)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Joe Public trying to be professional Air Traffic Controllers and Pilots what’s next ?

  2. Anonymous says:

    Ah, really!

    Love to hear the West Jet pilots comments!

    • Anonymous says:

      They did reply. Pick up the copy of the compass where West Jet was contacted and confirmed  "There was no incident". The flight crew are required by law to report any unsafe occurrence. What seems close from the 'ground-eye-view", was actually about 3.5 miles apart longitudinally (nose-to-tail), and about 1000 feet vertically.

  3. Anonymous says:

    "No near miss" means the planes collided. "No near collision" means they missed each other.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Very suspicious indeed. It should not have happened so stop "spinning" about how normal it was.

  5. Far Canal says:

    Absolutely not what I saw.  Cayman Express came into land ahead of WestJet, WestJet was close behind and had to peel away and go round and approach again.   

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you an Liscensed Air Traffic Control?

      • Anonymous says:

        No. Are you?

        • Far Canal says:

          Errrr……….you should run for the LA in West Bay, as with that level of reasoned debate/answer you'd be a shoe-in.

      • Far Canal says:

        So why did Westjet peel away with the Twin Otter on the runway?  Call that normal?  I'd love us mere laymen to be educated so that we can be assured that everything was perfectly normal and not infact the implementation of avoidance procedures.  Quite frankly I'm not convinced but am more than willing to have it explained properly by an expert rather than people just saying "Are you an ATC?". Thats hardly justification for what may have happened.

        • Anonymous says:

          please contact the Pilots or Air traffic controllers association and you will be given a tour of its actually done, its better than asuming!

        • Anonymous says:

          Bottom line… I understand that the WJ pilots confirmed there was no incident.

          If a pilot fails to report a near miss (or otehr dangerous situation) when there was one they are in serious doo doo. If they report what they think is a near miss and an investigation shows there was no danger there is no comeback against the pilots. SO… there is every incentive for a pilot to report somehting as a near miss and none for them not to.

          The fact that they have reported 'no incident' is good enough for me. What happened was certainly an unusual approach combination but wthout being aprty to it (ATC or pilot on one or other aircraft) we just don't know the details so lets leave it with the pilots eh!

    • Anonymous says:

      Which is a normal procedure! But apparently you all are the professionals!