...ATC are just glorified "table tennis bat wavers".
Ah, but so very glorious we are in our bat waving.
I've beaten this to death before, but will take this opportunity to kick it again: We provide a service. That's what we do.
The chicken/egg argument is worthless. When I was in the Air Force I was told that my job (aircrew) was the most important job in the service because without me, nobody else would have anything to do. Although certainly true in my case
as it turns out, that argument can be made for damned near any job. My son is now a computer programmer in the Air Force and arguably, without him and his co-workers there'd be no computers and the Air Force would come to a grinding halt. Cooks? Same deal. Sky cops? Yup. You name it. Each one of them is the "critical" member of the organization.
In our world aircraft operators are the customer. They pay (some places more, some places less) for our services, and our services are what we render. When we provide those services we enter into a safety partnership with the aircraft operator, and we're very important in the highly specialized field of anti-death. We're not slaves and they're not the masters. However, we
are service providers. We "control" aircraft/airspace because, under our agreement with the operator (who, as we all know, remains the final authoirty when it comes to that aircraft) a portion of the operational control of that aircraft is ceeded to us. Sure, we've got government regs to back us up and the system is highly structured, but that's the deal. I think perhaps there is a problem with this because the whole thing has become institutionalized. This is to say, if you want to land at Heathrow you're going to have to talk to a controller. However, that fact arises from a government-mandadeted construct which forces "service" upon all operators in the interest of safety.
If I want to fly from Rock Springs, Wyoming to Rawlins, Wyoming (85 miles of sagebrush and rocks) I can call up Salt Lake Center for RADAR flight following
service, but I'm under no obligation to do so. This is an easy one... I want it and they agree to provide it. It's a service.
Now, I want to fly from Rawlins, Wyoming to Wendover, Utah. Same sagebrush and rocks. Same uncontrolled airports. But this time I'm flying right over the Salt Lake City airport. Guess what? I'm going to have to talk to somebody, but the fact that I'm forced into doing this (or altering my route) doesn't detract from the fact that ATC is providing me with a service.
God help you if you're my student (or sitting at a scope within arm's reach of me) and forget that. Don't get me wrong... I'm proud and cocky and I think I'm pretty damned talented. What's more, I'm no less an aviation professional than the chap in the driver's seat of that Airbus. But when I work I provide that driver a service. That's the deal.
Rant temporarily suspended.
Dave