opinions on ATC.
My contemparaneous colleagues & myself often used to say , even before we'd retired, that we'd been extremely lucky & enjoyed the golden years of ATC before the regulators (SRG) struck with a vengeance; & before the days of SRATCOH (which were, for us wef 2004) & EFPS.
Nothing has changed to force us to change our opinions!
In fact, the malaise continues, & deepens, from what we're told.
The best parts of the job ?
1. I never worked a day in 36 years (whilst in ATC).
2. I loved every minute of every one of those days.
3. I was, effectively, my own boss & made my own decisions - despite the teamwork involved.
4. The teamwork.
5. The characters I worked with (ATC & flying).
6. The freedom of the job, the time off, shift work & the pay.
The worst parts ?
The Management - even worse today, thanks to the items in my first paragraph & to the complete lack of CHARACTERS in ATC together with the awesome experiences they had accummulated (2nd World War, Battle of Britain etc.)
Would I do it all over again ?
You bet your arse I would ! - regardless of the worst parts of the job.