DAMN YOU UAL175

[mdklatt]

So I've got things humming in Sector 38, and then UAL175, an LAX departure, pops up. He's a "whale" (a slow climbing DC-10), but no problem. I tell him to expedite his climb (which never works, but you never know), then give him direct LAS to keep him clear of DAG. Now I've got two BUR departures popping up over Palmdale, and an LAS arrival climbing out over Pomona. Okay, it's going to get interesting. Climb the America West over POM to 290, he'll be clear of UAL175 the whole way. One of the BUR departures is going to LAS. Good, keep him below UAL175, no problem. But, he's tied with the America West. There's no room to vector anybody in this sector, ugh. Slow the BUR-LAS to 250 knots for know, and give him an S-turn closer to DAG. How in the craphell is that 757 behind UAL175 catching up to him!? Stop the whale at FL250 for a little bit and get the 757 above him before he closes to 5 miles...and UAL175 is only passing through 220 right now?? Dammit. No Southwest 243, you can't have higher. Okay, get the southern LAS arrival started down, "AWE480, descend pilot's discretion, cross DAG at FL240". Oops, got a couple of handoffs to 34 to take care of. "Contact center on 132.62." Break. "Contact center on 132.62". Here comes a BUR arrival from over Hector. Gotta get him down to FL240. Come on, come on, come on...get him on my frequency already so I can start him down! Finally. Now he'll never get down in time, gotta keep him at 280. How's that BUR departure doing? DAMMIT! "COA123, EXPEDITE DESCENT TO FL270!" Break. "UAL175 EXPEDITE CLIMB TO FL 330." ****. "Uh, is that a descent for COA123?" HELL YES, DAMMIT! DESCEND, DESCEND, DESCEND! "COA123, immediate right turn 40 degrees". DO IT NOW! ****, the LAS arrival has started his descent already. "AWE480, level off at FL280". "Uhhh...say again for Cactus 480?" "AWE480, EXPEDITE CLIMB NOW TO FL280!" Sonofabitch the BUR arrival is right there, loss of separation between AWE480 and AAL880--same altitude, 4.1 miles. Damn you UAL175.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Huh?

United doesn't have DC-10's anymore...and America West is gone...they merged with US Scareways!

[GottaHavePride]

Um, wut?

[olevetonahill]

Just another confused Dem .:D

[yermom]

you could not pay me enough money to do that job

[mdklatt]

Um, wut?

http://www.xavius.com/atcc10.html

I got the "retail" version when it came out about 9 years ago, so mine talks at me.

[Veritas]

Hah, that's pretty cool

[mdklatt]

Hah, that's pretty cool

It's damn addictive, is what it is. For a long time there was supposed to be a V2 in the works, but it never happened.

[Veritas]

Can the version that yaps still be acquired?

[mdklatt]

Can the version that yaps still be acquired?

eBay? You used to be able to download the voice version and buy a registration key. Now it looks like they just have the free version.

[tommieharris91]

you could not pay me enough money to do that job

My dad says it pays 6 figures for people who qualify. But there's a lot of qualifications for it.

[OUWxGuesser]

I walk by this every day to work...
http://www.undaerospace.com/images/atc/360DegreeSim.jpg
http://www.undaerospace.com/images/atc/RadarLab.jpg

[Veritas]

eBay? You used to be able to download the voice version and buy a registration key. Now it looks like they just have the free version.
No luck at the usual channels.

[mdklatt]

No luck at the usual channels.

The freebie version isn't too bad. In the talkie version there's only one voice for every plane, so you're not missing a whole lot. It's a lot easier to miss transmissions without the voices, though. If it's important, they'll call back. :D

[swardboy]

Didn't I hear within the last few weeks that the FAA is starting to recruit people right out of high school for this job? Apparently mad game skills make them excellent candidates....that, and the aura of fearlessness that usually accompanies that age.