Air Traffic Controller Stoppage

[ludermor]

Im sure they have air traffic controllers in the army

[Aerlik]

In Australia, an Air Traffic Controller must first undertake an online application followed by online pschometric tests then a panel interview.  If successful, s/he will then commence a one-year training program in Melbourne and if successful a three to five month stint secondment in either Melbourne or Brisbane or another major airport.  It is extremely gruelling training and the fact that an ATC employee over here works approximately 20 hours a week depending on whether they are working "en-route" (ie beyond the control of major cities over the vast bulk of the continent at high altitude), "approach" easily the most intensive phase when dozens of planes are approaching the one spot at varying speeds, "tower" when the plane is on approach to land, or "ground" when the aircraft is on the ground and is taxiing'manoeuvering, give or take a few hours is some reflection  of the mental intensity of the job.  The extended periods  of concentration rank this job on a par with the highest, most complicated health professionals.  Split-second decision can mean life or death for many hundreds of people.

When Reagan (spit) replaced the civilian staff with military staff, he was doing so with personnel who had ATC experience.  Darwin airport is staffed by all-military ATC staff.  There's one for you to tell your neighbour when you fly into Darwin

The minimum qualification for ATC in Oz is a commercial pilot's licence, which can only be issued if the pilot has had experience flying in Controlled Airspace (CTA), i.e., in airspace controlled by ATC staff.  Most of the successful applicants are graduates, not necessarily in aviation.

[muppet]

That was Ronnie Reagan I think in the 80s who broke the ATC strike in the US by bringing in the Army.

That is correct and in one fell swoop the States went from being probably the best in the world for Air Traffic Control to the worst in the western world. He fired them all and standards went through the floor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Logan_Airport_runway_incursion

The above incident was seconds away from being the second biggest collision ever. Better yet it happened again since with different airlines and the FBI decided that they would investigate what the hell was the problem with Logan ATC. They should look at most US airports while they are at it. The standard and attitude is appalling.

As for Michael O'Leary anyone find it odd that he is always the spokesperson for the IAA? A state body??

He has been off runways 7 times this decade, including recently in Prestwick and nothing has been done about it. Not a single penalty or reprimand (other than reports blaming the pilots). That would be the IAA's territory. When Ryanair had a near crash in Rome in 2005 the IAA (more accurately its subsidiary the AAIU) initially said it wouldn't investigate as it occurred outside it's jurisdiction. For 3 months it ignored its legal responsibility to investigate until an article appeared in the papers.

The Chief Executive of the IAA is a brother of a very Ryanair friendly former minister, recently deceased. This TD, when he was Minister for Transport saved Ryanair, a private company, from going under in the early 1990s by taking routes off the state owned (and thus his responsibility) Aer Lingus. He was the one who broke up Aer Rianta which O'Leary had been campaigning for and he signed the legislation for the privatisation of Aer Lingus which O'Leary then bid for 4 days after the IPO.

When that man died there was a tribute on Ryanair's website from O'Leary. Today on Newstalk O'Leary called the current Minister 'corrupt'. I find the irony overwhelming.

[Bord na Mona man]

I wouldn't mind being air traffic controller somewhere like Farranfore, Sligo or Waterford airport.
You'd have only a handful of flight movements a day.

The planes wouldn't exactly be clipping each other's wings while waiting for landing clearance!

[Declan]

I wouldn't mind being air traffic controller somewhere like Farranfore, Sligo or Waterford airport.

Reminds me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVuUyGijoKU