Posted on 10/04/2003 6:51:36 AM PDT by Archangelsk
Yes, really. Constantly. Here is a recent example, but in my 28 years of flying I can cite many, many more not only in Chattanooga, but elsewhere as well. I fly several times a week in the vacinity of Chattanooga. Among other things I operate a glider tow business about 20 miles from CHA and I monitor Chattanooga approach for traffic advisories. In ONE recent flight, in a period of 45 minutes, I heard two different controllers clear two airplanes to land at the same time on the same runway. In one case it was a C-172 and a C-130 and in the other it was a Baron and the C-130. The C-130 was doing touch and goes and was staying in the pattern. There is absolutely no excuse for this. I also heard the same controller give THREE different airplanes the same transponder code. Mixed in with this a Northwest Airlink commuter called not less than SEVEN times for a handoff to BNA. He was almost out of radio range before the controller took notice and handed him off to Nashville. Bare in mind this was all in one fortyfive minute period and involved two different controllers. I have witnessed many other such incidents and Chattanooga isn't a busy field. I know quite a few people who fly both commuters and private aircraft in and out of Lovell field and all say "you'd better be paying attention, because ATC isn't."
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