MM....
Had a controller from PARIS sit next to me for a morning duty at LATCC. Durring a (particularly good) lunch afterwards he explained that if he and his colleagues had to put up with LATCC equipment, they would have gone on strike long ago.
As for UK based controllers visiting abroad, or even other UK units, well it's rare. For my own part I've found that if you do take the trouble to arrange a visit (usually it's only a phone call after all) the people there are more than happy to show you round, plug in etc etc.
The trouble is here in the UK we are desperately short of ATCO's and time off is at a premium. Visit's elsewhere aren't exactly discouraged by management, but they aren't exactly
encouraged either, and certainly not in work time. This also goes for the Fam flight "scheme".
Contrast this with the USA. Scott Voigt will correct this, but as I recall, Fam Flights and visits to other ATC units count as DUTY time, even if you take them on your days off.
Makes a Trans-Atlantic fam flight worthwhile doesn't it? Anyway, you can always learn something
Now that The Airline Group are involved in the running of NATS I
hope this will change. Certainly access to fam flights
shouldbe more widely available, with less hassle. Or am I being naive? I hope not.
Rgds BEX