Hyperborean and GBZ
Point taken but I still honestly believe that more fam flights are what is needed today and not bashing circuits.
Regardless of my previous career, the 15 hours wasn't really worth the time - apart from the fact that I was able to teach my 'flying instructor' how to navigate properly!!
Bashing the circuit etc is a great idea for ATCOs at airfields where circuits take place - they can easily equate their trepidation of going solo etc to that of any pilots at the 'fields local flying club and this would hopefully help them provide a better service.
I agree that more cross training/experience should happen, but that nowadays it should take the form of pilots visiting us and vice versa - done on company time.
NATS are supposed to be 'In Tune With Our Customers' as per the destinations... what better way to do so than to recognise that with the dilution of the course at the college, more effort should be made to allow us, especially those at the beginning of their career, to sit with the customers as they do their jobs.
Similarly, slight thread creep, there should be much more famil visits between airports and centres, again because the college course has been so diluted.
We want to be the best in the business - we can't do that is half the ATCOs don't appreciate the problems the other half have on a day to day basis.
Of course, getting released to do this on company time, and getting reimbursed for mileage is not entertained - very shortsighted.