MD-83
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
I was working Local Control 1. The control of the intersection for the runways belonged to Local Control 2; where training was in progress. We had coordinated for the intersection to return to me after a B737 landing Runway 19L. I was holding a MD83 in position on 25R; waiting for intersection control. The aircraft behind the B737 was a P180; who seemed to be doing a short approach. I told the MD83 that it would be another minute or so in position; and my assist called Local Control 2. Local Control 2 said that the lander was squaring and slowing; and the trainer told the trainee to give up the intersection for my departure. I then cleared the MD83 for take off; and they started rolling. The problem occurred when the lander slowed very little; and did not square the turn; but continued straight for the numbers. The Local Control 2 trainer asked the Supervisor if they should let the P180 land; or send him around. The Controller was told to let him land; and did so. This was safe; as the 25R departure was already airborne when the lander crossed the threshold of 19L; but meant that aircraft were operating on intersecting runways at the same time. We used to have a tool we used that allowed simultaneous operations on the intersecting runways; using parameters that ensured safety. This tool is rumored to be coming back; but has not as of yet. In this situation; the parameters were met; and this would have been a legal operation. I recommend that this tool be returned to use. I should use my experience to decide what will work; rather than counting on an aircraft I am not talking to; to follow an instruction that I did not issue. My initial decision was to wait; but did not. Giving up control of the intersection means that the controller giving it up expects the plan to work; or will fix it if it does not. The lack of experience on the part of the trainee; as well as the years of experience the trainer had; should have clued me in to follow my original plan. The worst thing that would have happened would have been that the departure would have waited a couple of minutes. Next time; I will error on the side of caution.
LAS Controller described a possible intersecting runway separation error noting he should have delayed the departure for the landing aircraft; adding that an automated assistance tool would have been helpful in this scenario.