I totally agree that Fam Flights for Controllers and Liason visits for Pilots are essential to enable both parties to fully understand the probems that we face. Post 9/11 it became practically impossible to arrange fam flights and because many ATC Towers are now located airside it is often difficult for pilots to visit ATC.
I personally think that these liason arrangements should take place in duty time. I have never felt that either a fam flight or liason visit has been a waste time; there has always been a sharing of knowledge and undertsanding that can only benefit the industry as a whole.