Well it sounds like I rattled 2 sheds cage, had he read my comments carefully he would have seen that I said “after the first year”—“ that the standard of the Cadets was much lower than the direct entry people from the Services and that the big problem was going to be in the future when they became the management of ATC.” I did not say that the eventual standard of the “working” controller was going to be any different, regardless of the method of entry. I tried to make my point in the last sentence, that it was those who could not hang up their headsets and get away from the heat quickly enough who are today’s bosses. Could you dispute that the standard of leadership is nil, the lack of decision-making is pitiful and if the comments made on the forum about strike action are correct so is the morale. I can only go on what I hear from people who are still working and what I read on the forum, happily I retired from LATCC ten years ago.
I do agree about the stuffed-shirted clots of the 60’s though, a great example was my final oral board at Hurn, when because I turned up in jacket and slacks the chairman’s last remark was “do the Board the courtesy of wearing a suit next time you appear” to which I replied that I though it was an oral examination not a sartorial one. Strangely I passed.