matsmart
Aviation as a whole, and particularly ATC, are obviously vastly different Stateside. I have no experience of it, but is it really THAT busy? Are the skys really black with aeroplanes?....Maybe the standards of airmanship are higher?
Not sure the sky is black with aeroplanes, but when receiving radar services round here, I always hear approach control saying 'multiple VFR targets in your vicinity and I cannot distinguish between them' (essentially you are on your own for now).
I even heard somebody cancel IFR yesterday after receiving multiple RAs, he thought it was "safer" to vector himself around the traffic. I could almost hear the thud when the controller fell off his chair in shock.
There are also GA airports in the US which are busier than anything outside the US (movement wise) and you just turn up un-announced and do your thing.
I think the difference is mainly because US ATC is far better resourced than in the UK. The GA community is also quite powerful, and if a unit round here was to suggest booking in advance, there would be some nasty stuff flying.
So what's this about having to shut down approach services when the controller isn't approach certified? Don't you all have to know how to read a plate???
Cheers.