some great words said here. I'm embarking on the NATS area course next month after 10 years as a mil ATCO, and have had gremlins about my ability to ascimilate the new info and perform to the required standard too. I find it quite surreal that we talk about ourselves, thirtysomethings or thereabouts, as being old dogs struggling to learn the new tricks. It is a sign of modern times that we believe that we may have previously hit our peaks and that other attributes like maturity and experience will need to buffer the lack of quick mindedness that we once, allegedly, may have possessed!