DFC - for the reason of fairness, I hide behind a name on this but D Watch is the one I work for and This thread was my personnal views and not that of Scottish or D Watch. I wish to provide the best service I can and I feel that by being questioned by a pilot I am not able too. I try for short cuts, when asked. I try to provide adjacent sectors with traffic as best presented as I can. I try to sequence a/c taking into mind type, size and wake vortex(never company!).
If I was the only one having a problem, the thread would be lost but it seems to be touching a nerve, and not just for Scottish, or D Watch. We have just finished TRM and the point I brought up in that is that Pilots are part of our big team. That is my major point.
My first call, if I can is No speed on outbound and inbound legs. Right turns of PF on Easterlies if I can. A vector to short cut over Lanak, if I can.
If you would prefer we all keep you on route and just stick you into the hold we can. More work for us, more for you and bigger delays. Is this how it should be???????????????????????? Otherwise trust that we are doing the best we can. I try to tell pilots...further descent in 2 mins for controlled airspace, traffic 3 o'clock 5 miles further descent after etc.....but we are busy!!!!! How many times do we get.....Can I have climb.....followed by traffic information.....followed by yes we have them on TCAS...............................................More than it should happen!