055166k
I've used the computerised (STAR) system twice now - IMHO it's a breeze. We can fill it in at any terminal (whilst having a coffee if not in the OPs room), then send it off to management - just the same way as you would send off the written report to your manager in days of old - it has not changed our way of doing things with regards to 'supervision'.
As for the liaison visits... at TC we actively encourage airlines to send pilots down and quite often have training captains and below in our TRUCEs.
In fact there is hardly a cycle goes by when there is not aircrew of some description are wandering round the OPs room on a visit.
As for getting on the jumpseat - a lot of that has to do with 9/11 and the requirements by DfT regarding unauthorised people in the cockpit - slowly being relaxed now.
Maybe your problems stem from a management problem at LACC?? - not that I am saying we have good managers, but we do get a lot of aircrew visitors.