With reference to Mr Corry's article, if he thinks comparing Irish ATCOs with their French counterparts would ever be taken as a negative, he seriously misjudges his readership.
The French approach has always received yearning, longing glances from our more cowering, apathetic nation.
And how has this 'disease' affected the French nation? Decent standard of living, commendable secular education system and a health service we can only dream of. This is one 'disease' I would like to see in our hospitals.
Anyway, I digress. To be even mentioned on the same written page as the French is the highest of complements.
Vive la Revolution
Staff rationalisation is an ongoing process. However, IAA management have always had the good sense to build contingency into their staffing arrangements, and ATCOs have come to expect no less.
If an ATCO goes belly-up, the control element of the situation is forfeited and there must be some way of making this situation safe again. The IAA have taken the most obvious route, by not staffing less than two of any one rating. I would be genuinely interested in the contingency procedures of locations that staff to a factor of one.
In some quarters I have heard the term 'calculated risk', being bandied around. But who has done these calculations? and who takes the risk?
Last edited by goodworker; 17th Feb 2008 at 00:08.