Old and ex-Aircrew filling ATC posts
Old and ex-Aircrew filling ATC posts
Thankfully, the opinion that anyone even ex-aircrew could do controlling disappeared in the last century! I remember my first tour at Vulcan filled Scampton in the early 70`s, there was a controller that held the rank of Master Navigator!!!! The trade gradually formed its own specialization in those days and very quickly these ex-aircrew vanished like an old oak table.
However, the trade still attracted "chopped" aircrew from various stages of their failed choice. So, we had to make spaces for people who were not ATC orientated and some, not all, carried huge chips of granite on their shoulders about working in ATC and not thundering through some valley! To preserve their ignorance or identity, I shall refrain from naming them, but they would nearly always take the word of a pilot before asking their own controllers for their interpretation. A move guaranteed to earn them utter contempt!!
This situation happened because the RAF commissioned them first and had to find alternate employment, even after having served 3 years...and still not productive.
The SNCO controller initially grew up in the trade, gaining experience before controller training. Should they fail the course, then posts had to be found, or after a change of thought, some "experts" suggested that sacking them would be the way forward. The trade has changed considerably over the last few years and it is over 6 years since I departed.
Its always easier to suggest that we had it good in the heady busy days controlling in the 80`s and 90`s. There were a massive amount of flying and at some places, Valley, Chivenor, Brawdy, Leeming and Linton we cracked over one thousand movements a day! More than Heathrow....
The most important item that we all gained was an immense amount of trust, teamwork and pure enjoyment! I admit that I controlled for the latter, the buzz, the utter joy of handling that pressure and deriving pleasure from it!!
I only hope that the current crop are doing the same.