Originally Posted by
Gonzo
My own opinion is that you can’t compare learning to fly with learning to control. They are completely different. I’m not a currently licensed pilot, so some may think I’m talking rubbish, but I have done some flying, and of course there are generalisations coming up......
Learning to fly is basically physics. Given a set of variables, such as; airspeed, aircraft/aerofoil design, angle of attack etc, then a given control input will result in reaction A. Always. Change one variable, and the given control input will result in reaction B. Always. Learning to fly is how to string those control inputs together to result in a sequence of reactions to get the aircraft to do what you want it to do. This is how there can be zero flight time simulators.
ATC has far more variables, many of them involve human interaction.. Our main method of controlling is communication to other parties. We’ve all sat through the PowerPoint about how much non-verbal comms are used in life. Given an infinite amount of money and staff and time, one could possibly build a ‘zero controlling time’ ATC sim, but you’d literally need 50 people, all with different accents, first languages, different distractions and ideas to each act as a pilot/driver/airport ops person/other controllers. Controlling is about putting yourself in the head of the pilot/driver etc. It’s about balancing priorities based on many factors that you only get knowledge of through experience. That’s why it’s more effective to do the bulk of training in a live environment. The basics can be done in a sim, learning phraseology, basic techniques etc, but that can only get you so far.
I would equate ATC training to an airline pilot command course. It’s not about flying the aircraft, it’s about being ahead of any situation and having to weigh a lot more factors to form an executable plan, while having alternative plans ready to activate in case something changes.
Im a flyer not a controller. However, if I was to compare the two I would probably simplify controlling in the same way you simplified flying. Which means we’d probably both be wrong.