ImnotanERIC wrote:
I have heard people say that "at least they get a wage, trainee pilots don't."
Well Trainee atcos dont get to fly planes
Been there, done that and I can assure you, as far as I am concerned, being an ATCO is much more stimulating, especially with the advent of glass cockpits and huge automation.
Not taking anything away from pilots - it's whatever floats your boat - but I would not want to be a pilot for any money. One of the reasons people pay good money to become a pilot is the glamourisation of the job. I'm sure any pilot who is honest will admit that it's not exactly like that (in the same way life as an ATCO can be dull at times).
People will not come off the streets in big enough numbers to pay to become an ATCO because people do not understand what ATCOs actually do. Until NATS gets a grip and does some real
PR, that will always be the case.
Realities of the two jobs aside even if the
PR and knowledge was there, if Joe or Josephine Bloggs was given a wad of cash and told they had to spend it on either pilot training or ATCO training, I bet the vast majority would go for pilot training.
As an OJTI I don't care what the motivation is that gets someone through the door, as long as they put the work in and make the grade and become a good team member.
As for the wage we pay TATCs nowadays, ImnotanERIC has hit the nail firmly on the head.
However, the above few posts are a bit of thread drift!