Ask not for whom the weport tolls.
ATCO’s? A calling to task, rather like Nuns or Vicars. It’s just a bit more than a ‘job’ to pay the rent. Flying is, to my way of thinking, a similar dedication. It’s not’s just ‘a job’ but ‘the job’ of choice. Can more money be made? Can there be a higher place on the social ladder for those with the brain? Is it possible to further a career above ‘Captain’ or ‘Controller’? Course it is; so why do we bother? Love of the game, laziness; or just the simple pleasure, with no frills attached, of doing a thing we enjoy doing, very well?
No one is there at the end of a long ‘difficult’ shift to say well done and, truth be known, many of us haul ourselves into the car and offer “thanks to the pagan gods” that’s over and that we lived through it all; without a major cock-up. Crazy: so; would we change any of it? Some of the peripherals, most certainly for our own sake; some of the rules perhaps for everyone’s sake, probably; but what of the essentials? Not a chance, right?
My point – lest I forget – is a basic one. Aviation (operational) recently and with thanks, offloaded a burden in the form of Rodger Chambers. Famed author of the infamous ‘Chambers Report’ and some other, potentially very embarrassing situations to the powers that be. As a super salesman of his very own special talents he has, we are reliably informed, been given a job within ASA, dealing with the management of air traffic controllers. Now, the man had SFA in the way of qualification to deal with drivers of airframes and we can assert even less in dealing with ‘management’ level air traffic controllers. He appears to come with an alleged reputation of sliding in on a ‘good-fellowship’ basis then promoting his own personal pets while denigrating those who are not ‘mates’. The tales and rumour emanating from Sydney region, if they can be believed, seem to support this theory, although there is not a scrap of factual evidence to support the stories – unless you consider the ‘Chambers report’ which seems to point the finger at his very own ‘troops’ and the organisation he worked for. Passing strange tale that one; however, I digress.
I just wonder; if even half of what we hear and a quarter of what we can discover is anywhere near true, if our brothers and comrades working consoles this fine evening have considered who they are working for, in terms of general, personal; well being. If the previous path is followed, once the initial soft sell and bonhomie wears off, after the fangs are revealed, will the doughty ATCO union be able to deal with the distortion and manipulation of ‘Wodgerised fact’ when trumps turn to clay?
I do hope so; were I religious I would pray that the ATC were clever enough to get ahead of a game which has, in all probability, already started before too many of the ‘good guys’ are either seconded or outed. I can wait a twelve month for the results; question is children, can you?
Aye well; there’s a fair warning offered in good faith, best I can do really. But if RAeS mates Electric Blue Sociopath (EBS) and Wodger Weport Writing Wabbit (WWWW) team up, then the warning will be a timely one.
Centre – this is P9 top of the stairs, cancel SAR – goodnight.
Toot toot.
ATCO’s? A calling to task, rather like Nuns or Vicars. It’s just a bit more than a ‘job’ to pay the rent. Flying is, to my way of thinking, a similar dedication. It’s not’s just ‘a job’ but ‘the job’ of choice. Can more money be made? Can there be a higher place on the social ladder for those with the brain? Is it possible to further a career above ‘Captain’ or ‘Controller’? Course it is; so why do we bother? Love of the game, laziness; or just the simple pleasure, with no frills attached, of doing a thing we enjoy doing, very well?
No one is there at the end of a long ‘difficult’ shift to say well done and, truth be known, many of us haul ourselves into the car and offer “thanks to the pagan gods” that’s over and that we lived through it all; without a major cock-up. Crazy: so; would we change any of it? Some of the peripherals, most certainly for our own sake; some of the rules perhaps for everyone’s sake, probably; but what of the essentials? Not a chance, right?
My point – lest I forget – is a basic one. Aviation (operational) recently and with thanks, offloaded a burden in the form of Rodger Chambers. Famed author of the infamous ‘Chambers Report’ and some other, potentially very embarrassing situations to the powers that be. As a super salesman of his very own special talents he has, we are reliably informed, been given a job within ASA, dealing with the management of air traffic controllers. Now, the man had SFA in the way of qualification to deal with drivers of airframes and we can assert even less in dealing with ‘management’ level air traffic controllers. He appears to come with an alleged reputation of sliding in on a ‘good-fellowship’ basis then promoting his own personal pets while denigrating those who are not ‘mates’. The tales and rumour emanating from Sydney region, if they can be believed, seem to support this theory, although there is not a scrap of factual evidence to support the stories – unless you consider the ‘Chambers report’ which seems to point the finger at his very own ‘troops’ and the organisation he worked for. Passing strange tale that one; however, I digress.
I just wonder; if even half of what we hear and a quarter of what we can discover is anywhere near true, if our brothers and comrades working consoles this fine evening have considered who they are working for, in terms of general, personal; well being. If the previous path is followed, once the initial soft sell and bonhomie wears off, after the fangs are revealed, will the doughty ATCO union be able to deal with the distortion and manipulation of ‘Wodgerised fact’ when trumps turn to clay?
I do hope so; were I religious I would pray that the ATC were clever enough to get ahead of a game which has, in all probability, already started before too many of the ‘good guys’ are either seconded or outed. I can wait a twelve month for the results; question is children, can you?
Aye well; there’s a fair warning offered in good faith, best I can do really. But if RAeS mates Electric Blue Sociopath (EBS) and Wodger Weport Writing Wabbit (WWWW) team up, then the warning will be a timely one.
Centre – this is P9 top of the stairs, cancel SAR – goodnight.
Toot toot.