Only one of our controllers is a qualified private pilot. The other three of us have no interest in becoming a pilot.
Personally, I have always liked aviation and am happy to be around aircraft while working in the tower. I have flown in a couple Cessnas but I prefer the larger aircraft. They don't move around as much as the little ones. In the movies, they sometimes show a controller guiding a pilot down in an emergency situation - basically flying the aircraft for the pilot by giving instructions on what to do or not to do. Don't bet on that if you get one of the three of us who don't fly. We are here to provide runway separation and other additional services - but can't really fly the plane for you.
19. What areas on the ground does the Columbia Tower have jurisdiction (or control) over?
Columbia Ground Control has control over all taxiways. Columbia Tower has control over all runways. Columbia Tower/Ground Control has no control over any ramp areas. This includes the CMA black-top ramp area, the north concrete ramp, or the south ramp areas in front of the Main Terminal area and in front of the far south hangar (former Ozark hangar). This means that if you want to taxi on any ramp areas you don't have to call the Tower or Ground Controller. Just make sure you stay on the ramp.
20. As a controller, what are some of your pet peeves?
Realizing that nobody is perfect, that there will always be brand new pilots and realizing that these things will always happen here and there - here are a few things that drive us a lil crazy:
1. No acknowledgement from the pilot when given instructions. This is the same as Person #1 asking for directions to a store. . Person #2 tells Person #1 that the store is straight ahead and to the left. Person #1 walks away without saying a word. Did Person #1 receive the instructions; is Person #1 going to make it to the store; is Person #1 angry at the way Person #2 replied, does Person #2 have to give the instructions again, and so on! That's the way it is perceived - after all, it is a two-way conversation.
2. Pilots not familiar with the airport layout. We understand the pilot who comes into Columbia, stays a few days, then is ready to depart and is a lil disoriented. We are really glad to help out here. (You still should have an airport diagram to look at). What really drives a controller crazy at a small airport like Columbia is when a pilot lands on Runway 20, taxies to the FBO for some gas and a soda. The pilot calls Ground Control 10 minutes later and is issued Runway 20 for departure. The next thing you hear is "Can you give me progressive taxi instructions, I'm not familiar". You can say that the pilot just wants to make sure he does the right thing and this may be true. But some pilots don't even make the effort to do the research or prepare in the first place.
3. Pilots making their initial call to the tower and giving every bit of info in the first breath. Hey, that's okay - I was making an ATIS and missed everything that was just said.
Can ya "Say again, please?"
4. Pilots that are afraid to say "I'm lost" or "I'm not real sure of my position". We are here to help. All I have to do is call Mizzou Approach (or the pilot can do the same) and they issue me a squawk code. I give it to the pilot, Mizzou Approach calls me with a postion and a heading toward the airport. It is really that easy and it's only embarrassing when the pilot keeps guessing or ends up in the wrong place.
5. Missed reporting points. This can actually be a dangerous thing. We have seen several instances in which the controller says "Report 2 miles east, right base, Runway 2" or some other request like that. And several times, after the pilot reads back and acknowledges, he shows up on short final. What about that "2-mile" call I was going to use to ensure that guy wasn't going to land on the plane I had in position on the runway.
Anyway, that's all I had for now - but I can come up with more if you want! Hey, I know we aren't perfect either! Doesn't seem to be any room left for your complaints about us. If the above applied to you, try to "fix" it. If it didn't apply - you're perfect! Don't take it personally - I did it to help improve your pilotage and the overall system. Really! After all, if I wrote up every error, every time - I wouldn't have any computer memory left.
If you are a jet or turboprop and you are departing COU going to STL, you will always receive the following route from COU FCT:
"COU..FTZ..TRAKE8..STL"
The above routing is a preferential routing that is mandated by our FAA Letter of Agreement with Springfield-Mizzou Approach Control.
Non-turboprops/non-jets can file as they wish.
16. Explain how ground stops/ground delay programs are issued to COU FCT?
COU FCT receives notification of ground stops or ground delay programs into various airports via our Flight Data computer (the same computer that delivers our flight strip info). This info is issued by Kansas City Center Traffic Management Unit (TMU). COU FCT has no say in the length of delay time/ground stop you receive. We simply relay that information to the pilot. When a pilot wants us to check on an amendment to a delay time/ground stop ("Can ya see if you can talk to TMU and get me out of here quicker?") we simply call the same guy at KC Center who runs the delay/ground stop program for your destination airport and ask if there is a way to get you out earlier. (That is similar to going to your boss who just threw you out of his office and saying "I have one
more thing I want to say...!") We usually get a straight one-line one-word answer that begins with the letter "N" and ends with the letter "O". But, we make the attempt anyway. Occasionally, rarely, hardly ever, and usually not - we get an amended time. Just beware - we are simply the messenger in this process - not the issuer of delays and ground stops. We dislike issued delays and ground stops as much as you do - believe that or not. We simply tear this info off the computer and pass it along as we are instructed to do by the FAA.
17. Which airports receive the most delays/ground stops?
Mainly, the larger airports are the ones to receive the most delays/ground stops. These include the following:
a) Chicago-Ohare (ORD)
b) Phoenix (PHX)
c) Newark, NJ (EWR)
d) La Guardia, NY (LGA)
e) Dulles - Wash. DC (IAD)
f) Detroit-Wayne Co. (DTW)
g) San Francisco (SFO)
h) Kennedy, NY (JFK)
i) Dallas-Ft Worth (DFW)
j) Atlanta (ATL)
k) Boston-Logan (BOS)
l) Philadelphia (PHL)
m) Houston Intercont. (IAH)
I didn't want to list every airport in the country, so I'll stop the list there. These are the airports that we have permanently listed on our tower delay/ground stop board - the airports that are often involved in these
actions. However, depending on the
situation, ( like a crash or extremely bad weather) all airports are eligible.