source of stress in atc
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: malaysia
source of stress in atc
Hi guys..need some help. Currently conducting a survey regarding source of stress among controllers. Is it because of traffic or is it because of coordination procedures from other units?.Any websites in particular? Many tks.
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Between Places
I think I speak for most atc's the world over, when saying the source of most stress is the oxygen thief managers who make an enjoyable fun job, a chore. Bean counting and penny pinching, and a complete lack of understanding of ATC as a profession makes managers in ATC companies generally the biggest cause of stress on controllers. Handling traffic is the easy part of the job.
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: California USA
Management. I’m even willing to overlook incompetence and penny-pinching. What I cannot overlook, however, is mean-spiritedness. This is to say, the propensity of (some members of) management to make life difficult for controllers simply because they can.
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Stinkin' Harbor
...cause of streeeesssssss
......without a doubt........
.....MANAGEMENT . Especially their unwillingness to act on requests or suggestions to improve the system or environment.
It always seems that if the suggestion doesn't come from them then it is no good.
.....MANAGEMENT . Especially their unwillingness to act on requests or suggestions to improve the system or environment.
It always seems that if the suggestion doesn't come from them then it is no good.
niknak
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,335
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From: UK
DICK
sorry mate I disagree.
without pilots, we would have to concentrate our efforts elsewhere, e.g. on nights two weeks ago, a particularly bothersome moth got stuck between the cooling fan of the computer that drives the radar software and the computer hardware.
I didnt have any aeroplanes to talk to for 2 hours, therefore my source of stress was releasing the moth without causing it harm and the ensuring that the engineers didnt know that I had bought screwdrivers into work (again).
sorry mate I disagree.
without pilots, we would have to concentrate our efforts elsewhere, e.g. on nights two weeks ago, a particularly bothersome moth got stuck between the cooling fan of the computer that drives the radar software and the computer hardware.
I didnt have any aeroplanes to talk to for 2 hours, therefore my source of stress was releasing the moth without causing it harm and the ensuring that the engineers didnt know that I had bought screwdrivers into work (again).
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: In the CIR
Firstly: Politics is certainly the biggset contributing factor in Switzerland. The politicians and anti-aircraft-lobby make up procedures regardless of safety....and that is stressing.
Secondly: When you look across at the neighbouring sector and see how badly that controller works because he / she is not really interested or just plain lazy, then thats extremely stressing!!!
Thirdly: People asking me about the causes of my high stress levels.....
All very very stressing. Another scotch please if you will.
Secondly: When you look across at the neighbouring sector and see how badly that controller works because he / she is not really interested or just plain lazy, then thats extremely stressing!!!
Thirdly: People asking me about the causes of my high stress levels.....
All very very stressing. Another scotch please if you will.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 183
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From: London
Seeing as nobody else seems willing to give a helpful reply... apart from very busy traffic, stress for me at work usually involves (in no particular order):
-dealing with French ATC units
-bunching of traffic thanks to our marvellous flow control system
-working with certain colleagues who shall remain nameless...
-controlling traffic in holding stacks
-dealing with the effects of bad weather on busy traffic situations
-pilots not listening (including those that transmit when you're waiting for a reply from another aircraft)
-trying to get the computer to accept something which seems perfectly straightforward to me (and not having the slightest idea what the resultant error message means!)
-being moaned at for something you've done/not done when its quite obvious that you are busy and you didn't do it deliberately
-dealing with emergencies
I'm not saying that this means I turn into a quivering wreck at the mere hint of any of these, just that the job would be easier without them... I can't say I've ever been stressed out by politics at work, but maybe thats because I don't know enough about whats going on!
-dealing with French ATC units
-bunching of traffic thanks to our marvellous flow control system
-working with certain colleagues who shall remain nameless...
-controlling traffic in holding stacks
-dealing with the effects of bad weather on busy traffic situations
-pilots not listening (including those that transmit when you're waiting for a reply from another aircraft)
-trying to get the computer to accept something which seems perfectly straightforward to me (and not having the slightest idea what the resultant error message means!)
-being moaned at for something you've done/not done when its quite obvious that you are busy and you didn't do it deliberately
-dealing with emergencies
I'm not saying that this means I turn into a quivering wreck at the mere hint of any of these, just that the job would be easier without them... I can't say I've ever been stressed out by politics at work, but maybe thats because I don't know enough about whats going on!
Its A No Brainer......
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 618
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From: Brisbane, Queensland
Australian Perspective:
1. Politics (Dick Smith combined with a weak, ignorant, technically handicapped federal government)
2. Management
3. Management
4. Privatisation
5. Short Staffing
6. Roster Stability
7. Non-sensical changes to procedure - that get reversed a month later.
8. Shift Work
9. Insufficient Leave
10. management
But.... working heavy traffic, dealing with foreign or unfamiliar or low time pilots - always rewarding and insignificant in stress terms.
Trying to that whilst subject to items 1-10...... grrrrrr.
1. Politics (Dick Smith combined with a weak, ignorant, technically handicapped federal government)
2. Management
3. Management
4. Privatisation
5. Short Staffing
6. Roster Stability
7. Non-sensical changes to procedure - that get reversed a month later.
8. Shift Work
9. Insufficient Leave
10. management
But.... working heavy traffic, dealing with foreign or unfamiliar or low time pilots - always rewarding and insignificant in stress terms.
Trying to that whilst subject to items 1-10...... grrrrrr.
