Controllers
- Preceding post is correct, pilots are only interested in their own flight however that is human nature, get used to it!
- PPL training is a waste unless you are in the tower at a predominately GA airport, then you also need to hang out at the clubs/schools and find out the problems at your airport.
- Jump seat or sim experience is generally good but much better if part of ongoing training and focussed on your sector/airport.
Pilots
- Try not to fixate on your own flight, it's a big world out there!
- Please don't blame ATC if your behind schedule, we are all part of your CRM (or should be)
- The ATC's have some shockingly disorganised airports to run. If every airline company owned it's own airport and only ran the number of flights that could fit at the platforms (runways) then there would not be any delays.
- When you visit an ATC facility ask questions! Why did such and such happen, how do you cope with....and so on, the person accompanying you should be able to answer. Try also to have a formal sit down session afterwards with questions and answers, a cup of tea and chat about the football is OK but it doesn't go far enough.
- Try to get your airline to actively engage with ATC at your primary hubs, random visits are not enough, a regular programme is required.
All
- We individually go through training within our own areas but how about some combined training, even if it is just a table top.
- Pilots - you have an engine/hydraulic failure/fire sick passenger/unlawful interference.
- Controllers - What can you do to help, what do the pilots want/what do the pilots not want. Do they need a fly by to look at the gear/ if so can you get a airline engineer to the tower or onto a fire truck?
We are all part of the same big machine, but this is a good post, often we are not