Premier 1
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Procedure; Human Factors
I was working Ground Control and I watched the Local Control depart Aircraft X on a runway heading off Runway 17L with no other traffic advisories while a C182 was on a VFR practice approach on Runway 35R inside the outer marker. This is a daily occurrence at APA where controllers will give Runway heading off Runway 17L because of pattern traffic on Runway 17R and not issue the opposite direction traffic. It's dangerous. What happens if one or both of the aircraft on a collision course goes NORDO? What happens if we get a stuck mike and we are unable to communicate to the pilots? Like I said; this is not an isolated incident and the FLM was plugged in and watching the operation and said nothing. All controllers MUST issue traffic to the opposite direction traffic ASAP. The FLM/CIC must alert the Local Control when a traffic advisory has not been issued and must be issued.
APA Controller voiced concern regarding some controllers common practice of not advising opposite direction traffic of one another's position during a Runway 17L Departure and Runway 35R Approach operation.