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Thread: Mil ATC Careers
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Old 5th April 2005 | 13:28
  #45 (permalink)  
sumosan
 
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Ickenham, Middlesex, UK
One thing that is easy to overlook when discussing the future of mil ATC is cost. It is cheaper to employ mil ATCOs than civil - otherwise, we'd all have been civilianised years ago. When the Gibraltar contract came up for renewal, the RAF could have made a cheaper bid and taken it back - you don't get cheaper than a sgt controller or an AvO - but did not want to.

This can also be extended to the ATC/FC debate. How can it be cheaper to train individuals in more skills which they may never get around to using?

Finally, as an ex-MATO and STC staff officer, I know from experience that the system is not perfect and some individuals could do better; however, it's easy to throw dirt when you haven't been there. Many individuals go to such posts thinking that they can change the world and the reality proves to be a bit of a disappointment. It's easy to have a crewroom rant but not necessarily very constructive.
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