Originally Posted by Danny42C
But we turned out some very fine crops in your time, didn't we? Posted to Area Radar? Smelling salts, quick! ....
That's an interesting observation, and soooo 60's.
All the airfield ATCOs at the time had this 'thing' about Area Radar postings. I did 2 airfield tours, and 2.5 area tours as a JO ATCO. On mature reflection (which I can do occasionally) I have to say that Area was more rewarding, from the 'providing a service' perspective. Yes, for sure we didn't get to see pointy-jets doing their thing, but I guess we saw the bigger picture. And it was very satisfying.
As a sqn ldr, I did Senior Supervisor and OC Training Sqn at Eastern and SATCO at Waddington and Stanley (thus exposing myself to any ATCOs around here). SATCO at Waddo, as Strike Force and a MEDA (and IC Station Exercise DISTAFF), was without a doubt a dream posting ... but the challenges of Eastern, supervising and training 50 ATCOs and 150 AATCs, had its own interest too.