ATL Ground Stop - Equipment Failure
Oct 11, 2012, 3:31 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2009
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I got my info from Wikipedia, but I'll gladly defer to the FAA definition.
Note however that the FAA definition of "Ground Stop" includes the stopping of departures as well as arrivals.
Sounds like the OP's situation was actually part of a "Ground Delay Program" which "meters" the departure of aircraft headed for the affect airport, sort of like the red/green light system on some urban freeway onramps.
Note however that the FAA definition of "Ground Stop" includes the stopping of departures as well as arrivals.
Sounds like the OP's situation was actually part of a "Ground Delay Program" which "meters" the departure of aircraft headed for the affect airport, sort of like the red/green light system on some urban freeway onramps.
A ground stop only stops departures bound for the ground stopped airport.
Ground stops are used for events which are short in duration, such as thunderstorms or VIP movements which affect the airport arrival rate (AAR).
For example, most west coast departures to LAS are currently ground stopped due to a wind shift:
http://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_other...eDate=10/11/12
If an aircraft can't takeoff from the affected airport due to weather or ATC constraints, that's just referred to as a departure delay.
A GDP is used for constraints to the AAR which are longer in duration, such as fog in SFO during late summer and fall that lasts 6-8 hours a day. SFO currently has a ground delay program affecting all U.S. departures to SFO:
http://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_other...eDate=10/11/12
Oct 11, 2012, 3:59 pm
#32
Join Date: Dec 2009
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That being said, it may have been better to issue a small GDP so airlines can plan their delays. The problem with MIT delays, is that the pilot doesn't know until he calls for push/taxi/ground that there is a delay.
Unfortunately, airlines generally do a poor job explaining this to pax. The FAA doesn't waste the time to explain why your EDCT is 40 minutes away, and locally they may not even know. But rest easy, because most of this information is available (free) on the FAA's website. http://www.fly.faa.gov/ois You can even find charts of the AADC and current MIT restrictions.