I am sat here watching posts by a few individuals whom I would describe as armchair critics, trying their very best to undermine ATCOs and belittle the work they do, bringing into question their professionalism and training standards.
Let me say now that it takes a very particular type of person to become an ATCO, look at all the threads on here by wannabees who sadly didn't even get past the selection phase or who fall by the wayside during training. To get to a point where you hold your own licence and can sit their on your own controlling is a hugely difficult process and it has taken a long time and in that time they have learnt a far more comprehensive air law than the PPL.
We are well aware that ultimate responsibility for the aircraft lies with the commander but we have a huge knowledge behind us to ensure we assist that commander to the nth degree , we are there not just to separate IFR aircraft but to provide as service to all aircraft.
Safety is at the forefront of every ATCOs brain, it comes before everything. We will not knowingly place an aircraft into a dangerous situation.
Flying VFR we rely on pilots to assist us with weather reporting, our radars don't tell us where the weather is hence the normal clearance includes "maintain VMC" in crossing clearances, we expect you to advise us if you cannot maintain VMC. It is a partnership of trust.
Most of the time in the UK we get it very right occasionally of course we don't but having sat for more years than I care to remember working LARS I can assure you many GA pilots don't get it right, infact they can be very scary but we sit there and we do our best for them.
It is frustrating beyond belief to come to a forum to have a few individuals who believe they have knowledge because they fly a bit to hear them attempt to belittle ATC I note it is almost always PPLs and not the guys with more qualifications who do this , in responding to those comments we are described as arrogant or have a chip on our shoulders. We seem to be the one profession in aviation that everyone else thinks they know and thinks they can do and we have to sit here week in week out whilst people deride us.
I would say to anyone who thinks they know it all to go and sit for a day in an OPS room listening to what happens both on and off mike you will then maybe realise that there is one hell of a lot more to ATC than a few instructions.
Most of my colleagues here will be careful in how they respond as they are well aware they have careers to consider, I don't any longer so I shall speak up for my colleagues to say give it a rest , by all means question we enjoy answering genuine questions but stop the needling criticism and read what they write, all you are doing at the moment is creating a them and us scenario but I think that is actually what you want.