wow. Kinda wish I hadn't listened to it just minutes before setting out to work... [gulp - in a calm way].
Thumbs up to the controllers in the clip. Apart from the callsigns, accents & phrasolgy the co-ordination &"procedures" sound pretty much like what we'd do (& what were trained to do) in the UK.
However, having said that, each emergency is very different from the last, with so many variables it would be impossible to train us for every single scenario.
We have good training & obviously we're checked out for aviation sense but we don't get fam-flights like my older colleauges did.
So; for those of us ATCOs without PPLs, all we have to go on is books and stories passed down from our more experienced colleauges.
Fam-flights are not atcos trying to get free flights, the more we all know about each others job the better.
New pilots visit the tower all the time & it helps for 2 reasons; they see a face to put the voice too which normally calms new pilots shaky r/t voice straightaway & 2) they see the equipment we use, its limitations & OUR limitations.
As an honest ATCO, Ive only ever been up in a PA28 & once upon a time a PA38. That is my extent of ACTUAL knowledge of workload, performance etc. All the rest is therorised & book-based training.
In summary, 'cus I've really gotta run to work now,
(1) Bring back fam-flights as ATCO training
(2) Come to the tower & OFFER ATCO training-flights (we dont want a ppl just a quick flight with Q & As - & if you're lucky we'll throw in a free landing fee)
(3) When you visit the tower, bring biscuits. Expecially if your visiting today between 10.30 & 18.00 ;-)
Bri.