Originally Posted by
Crazy Voyager
I think Gonzo's post is missing a negative. Wick is controlled by HIAL (I think?), Glasgow is controlled by NATS. It is definitly not the same ANSP at the two.
Although controllers could move between the two, it would be the "old fashioned" way of resigning at Wick and starting a new job with a new employer at Glasgow, or the other way around.
No.
When NATS still owned the H & I Airports, they naturally provided ATC at all of them too and 'leave reliefs' were assigned to each airport from the larger NATS units in Scotland eg Glasgow did Stornoway, Aberdeen did Sumburgh and I dare say a relief was assigned to Wick too. Additionally under the 'old' ATCO Cadet training system, cadets who had qualified at a 'major' unit in Scotland whether airport or control centre/radar unit were sent on 4 week detachments to H & I airports; when I 'validated' at Glasgow on a monday, I was told 'pack your bags, here is a travel warrant, report to Sumburgh on Wednesday'. Yeah, 2 days notice, sort of initiative test!
Of course this 'pool' of controllers is not available to HIAL since they and NATS 'divorced' so other means of coping with staff shortages such as short term closures or downgrade to AFIS must be resorted to.
NATS controllers down south also did leave reliefs eg LATCC controllers did Kent Radar (Manston) and Farnborough controllers did Llanbedr.