Why is LAX always on flow?

I agree with Flagship_dxer. Flow is a broad term. When you say flow, it can mean Ground Delay Program (where you will be issued and EDCT), it can mean that there is a Call For Release program (where the controller calls the Center flow and gets a release time/window for you), or it can mean that there is Metering (which is essentially standard Call For Release but with a narrower release window... usually 1 minute before to 1 minute after).

LAX doesn't really see too many GDPs unless there is seriously runway construction, thunderstorms, or something significant happening at the airport. Mostly I just see standard Call For Release. I'd venture to say that I have seen more GDPs going into SFO than LAX.

LAX is almost always Call For Release, except after 10pm.
 
TripSix said:
That's the technical term for Traffic Management running through the TRACON yelling "stop taking handoffs! Stop taking handoffs!"

I keed, I keed!

Well, okay, I wish I was kidding...
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The center equivalent is Traffic Management calling the area (they're too lazy to run down) and telling you to spin the guy that's been flying for 13 hours to let the guy that just took off go in front. Followed closely by the TRACON calling and issuing 220 knots to everybody.
 
Bernoulli Fan said:
The center equivalent is Traffic Management calling the area (they're too lazy to run down) and telling you to spin the guy that's been flying for 13 hours to let the guy that just took off go in front. Followed closely by the TRACON calling and issuing 220 knots to everybody.
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here is what i would do whenever TMU would request me to do something galactically stupid .........." ah i cant turn him he is NORDO" !
 
mikecweb said:
What RJ you be flying doing 500kts TAS or 500kts GS going west?
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Mach .80 at FL370 is 460, so a few knots off, but over long distances a jet is going to get there long before a turboprop.

Now shorter leg lengths? The Q will beat, or come in just a few minutes behind, any jet. But 1,000 mile leg lengths? If the thing doesn't run out of fuel, it'll be well behind the jet.
 
jtrain609 said:
Mach .80 at FL370 is 460, so a few knots off, but over long distances a jet is going to get there long before a turboprop.

Now shorter leg lengths? The Q will beat, or come in just a few minutes behind, any jet. But 1,000 mile leg lengths? If the thing doesn't run out of fuel, it'll be well behind the jet.
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I'm going to be a dick but you knew that already. When was the last time a CRJ flew .80? I thought you guys were flying cheap in the low .70s. Point being the difference in speed is maybe 400 vs 350. Still going to be longer than 5 mins but you get that it's closer than you presented.
 
mikecweb said:
I'm going to be a dick but you knew that already. When was the last time a CRJ flew .80? I thought you guys were flying cheap in the low .70s. Point being the difference in speed is maybe 400 vs 350. Still going to be longer than 5 mins but you get that it's closer than you presented.
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We're flight planned at max speed cruise almost all the time. .78 to .80 is the norm for us.
 
jtrain609 said:
We're flight planned at max speed cruise almost all the time. .78 to .80 is the norm for us.
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When we are running behind schedule, we'll do .82. Had a pack deffered the other day and we were limited to 25k. We rode the pole the whole way because we were behind. "Company" (ERJ) was above us and were nice enough to let us sneak in under them. But we usually fly around at .80/.81.
 
mikecweb said:
Wow. Learn something new everyday.
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You're not wrong in what you said earlier, though. At carriers where the company that owns them is paying for the fuel, they seem to be more likely to cruise at slower airspeed to conserve fuel. Here, we've always been planned at max speed cruise, and I've always assumed it's because we're not paying the fuel bill.
 
Nothing can be as bad as CLT. We're always getting a release time into CLT. They're talking about building a 4th parallel. That'll just be 4 runways that they have no idea how to use. It's only gotten worse because the FAA, in their infinite wisdom, decided we can't land on 23 anymore when it's VFR.

I also love the "Sequencing" program that the Ramp uses now. No more than 15 company aircraft can be in line for either runway at any one time, so now the Ramp Tower has us hold on the gate for "Sequencing". At least the inbounds know their gate is occupied by an aircraft being "Sequenced"...oh wait, it's CLT...no they don't!
 
Bernoulli Fan said:
The center equivalent is Traffic Management calling the area (they're too lazy to run down) and telling you to spin the guy that's been flying for 13 hours to let the guy that just took off go in front. Followed closely by the TRACON calling and issuing 220 knots to everybody.
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Now, you've got to tell the whole story. It's not their fault they couldn't see that releasing a CRJ2 who is doing M70 is not going to go very well with the 747 behind him doing M84 and you need 25 in trail.

It's not their fault...it's your fault. You just don't see the "bigger picture"...
 
spades9048 said:
Now, you've got to tell the whole story. It's not their fault they couldn't see that releasing a CRJ2 who is doing M70 is not going to go very well with the 747 behind him doing M84 and you need 25 in trail.

It's not their fault...it's your fault. You just don't see the "bigger picture"...
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lol. I keep waiting for the big picture. I hope someday it'll come.
 
ERfly said:
Nothing can be as bad as CLT. We're always getting a release time into CLT.
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Rule of thumb...southeast hubs (CLT and ATL) get delays in the AM while the northeast hubs (PHL, NYC, and BOS) get them in the PM. I commute from CLT to NYC and this is true most of the time in my experience.
 
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As for LAX I will say this, like most flow issues, they're significantly impacted by the distance you are flying to said airport from. I'd say 65% of the flying I do is flying from either JFK or ATL to LAX. In the almost 2 years that I've been doing that I've never once had an ATC delay departing the east coast heading to LAX. I've never asked if there was a flow time and ATC has never stated they were calling to get a release for us. The same can be said about my experience departing LAX heading to JFK or ATL....ok ONE time heading to JFK. I can't say the same about my years flying shorter distances into the NYC airports. My time in EWR on the ERJ was one delay after another. The same can be said about my time on the Airbus and DC9 doing shorter distance flights into LGA and EWR... always a concern.
 
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