Standards in decline?
In one of the threads recently (VFR Separations I believe) someone mentioned a lowering of standards in Controllers knowledge / application of the rules of the air/ATC
. Whilst I do not fully agree with that statement, I do accept that there has been a steady decline in acceptable levels of dress. Is the reduction in Suits, Jackets, Shirts and Ties inextricably linked to the lowering of ATC standards?
Since I joined the “profession” in the early 70’s, there has been a slow but sure lowering of what used to be termed acceptable levels of clothing.
Much of this I feel is down to the “Dress down Friday” syndrome, yet another example of lower standards from the ex colonials across the pond.
I even heard the other day of an extremely experienced ATCO going COMMANDO; Surely that is the final straw, to remove what could be an extremely important barrier in the event of an incident, would appear to me to be worthy of a 1261 in its own right.
Where will it all end, some wag demanding the right to control in the Buff? UMMMM? Possibly but, BIG BERTHA from B watch would probably be responsible for the rest of the crew crying off sick. Whereas delicious Doreen from D watch would have no end of offers. Clearly, this could never be allowed to happen, but when he/she is informed that it would be against the dress code, they would then take the case to the European court of human rights.
It has been said on many occasion that clothes maketh not the Man (/ woman to be PC), but come on people, if suits are good enough for the BBC then it should be good enough for us.
All names used in this are fictitious, any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.