I was listening to Philadelphia approach one night this week when I heard a regional jet (I think it was AW) ask the controler for a visual runway 35 approach after he had been given 26. The controller responded that 35 was closed because the the ship spotters had gone home for the night. I did not know that that tall ships on the delaware were a factor for 35 arrivals, but I can see where that would be the case. However why isn`t it simply the pilots responsibility to watch for tall objects as they approach the threshold? Are these ship spotters controlers in PHL tower just watching the river?
