Originally Posted by
bobward
I served as an ATC instructor for over 40 years. In the beginning, it was great. Towards the end of my time, say from 2010 onwards it became more and more embroiled in HSE, risk assessments and other stuff, such as having to give many weeks notice of holding any sort of outdoor activity. Whilst I agree that, when responsible for young people, we need to take adequate care of them, some of the stuff we had to do did not make sense to me. I can compare ATC requirements against the offshore industry where I worked in the day job. When we had to risk asses cadets making tea, I knew things were not sensible.
Sadly these days, application of common sense no longer applies in our culture. In my time I never had to deal with the sort of issues mentioned above, although we did have one cadet who was about to transition when I left five years ago. At that time there was, to my knowledge, no advice available from the head shed on how to handle this. The current generation of instructors have my unfailing respect and admiration for trying to look after the cadets in what is becoming, to me, a very strange world.
Good luck for the future ladies and gentlemen, and thanks for all you did, with, and for me in the past.
I joined as a cadet at age 13 in 1962; served as a qualified Glider Pilot then from CWO to CI; commisioned, was put in charge of a squadron for 8 years then later became Wing Gliding Liaison Officer. I too would have done over 40 years but my wing OC, having been 'passed over' himself for an award which I got, made a 'case' for me getting my commision terminated so I left after 36 years.
If all the above discussion is true, which I'm still not sure about, I feel for those who are left.