Shortage of ATCs in SA
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Shortage of ATCs in SA
Without trying to hide behind any bushes I am a current affairs television producer in South Africa looking into a story on ATCs and the severe shortage in SA, particularly Joburg. I'm looking for some honest, no holds barred opinions from current ATCs in SA and those who have left in the last few years to continue in other countries, like Dubai or Abu Dabi and the likes, or elsewhere.
Why? Whats so bad about the problem in SA? I'm aware there is about a 15-20% staff shortage worldwide but is there anything unique about the situation in SA? Would you ever head back there?
But the biggest question is 'How does the lack of staff affect the quality of the work?' More incidents? Excessive delays because of lack of sectors? Are there genuine safety concerns? You already work in a highly stressful job, are you riding on the edge of breakdown because of this shortage? Is it all just in a days work, nothing to worry about?
Please tell me how you feel and give me a perspective of what the realities are...
Why? Whats so bad about the problem in SA? I'm aware there is about a 15-20% staff shortage worldwide but is there anything unique about the situation in SA? Would you ever head back there?
But the biggest question is 'How does the lack of staff affect the quality of the work?' More incidents? Excessive delays because of lack of sectors? Are there genuine safety concerns? You already work in a highly stressful job, are you riding on the edge of breakdown because of this shortage? Is it all just in a days work, nothing to worry about?
Please tell me how you feel and give me a perspective of what the realities are...
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The company governing Air Traffic Services in South Africa is ATNS. Their website is www.atns.co.za. All the contact details you could possibly need are located on this website. Management at ATNS has in the past been forth-comming in allowing its ATC's to speak to the media when requested through the proper channels.
I suspect you know this already.
I have either trained or worked with or in acquaintance with most of the ATC's from SA that contribute to this site and consider them individuals of discerning integrity that would not fall foul to the surreptitious manner in which you are trying to extracate "information" from them.
More-over, I have in the past been acquainted with two SA journalists and even though they had certain avenues they chose in gathering information, the vocabulary and grammar positioning you use is indicative of someone who is not associated with the world of journalism or at least someone who is not particularly good at it.
I suspect you know this already.
I have either trained or worked with or in acquaintance with most of the ATC's from SA that contribute to this site and consider them individuals of discerning integrity that would not fall foul to the surreptitious manner in which you are trying to extracate "information" from them.
More-over, I have in the past been acquainted with two SA journalists and even though they had certain avenues they chose in gathering information, the vocabulary and grammar positioning you use is indicative of someone who is not associated with the world of journalism or at least someone who is not particularly good at it.
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If you have read the recent advert for ATCO's in SA they require SA Nationals only and will not accept applications from other countries. Recently I was in UAE on business and found there were many SA people there, obviousely leaving their home country for pastures greener (or rather browner). If the SA government or whoever controls the ATC down there want to recruit qualified ATC staff then they must open their doors to other nationalities otherwise they will be in the crap.
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Thanks topo di radar, why you have to have a go at me and my profession, I’m not sure? Did I do that to yours? In fact I have nothing but the utmost respect for what ATCs do, which is why I intend telling this story!
I have spoken to several ATCs here in SA and I’m wanting to get confirmation on what they are feeling. People are nervous to speak because their jobs are on the line, yet everyday they go to work under conditions far more stressful than most other ATCs worldwide because of these staff shortages.
Even the pilots notice it. Airlines notice it. Passengers are clueless as to why their flights are being delayed for up to 45minutes when it’s a gorgeous day in Johannesburg, and there’s no reason for the delay other than capacity, one ATC operating what should be three or even five sectors, and then not getting a break for 4-5 hours. Add to that four days off in a month. Or am I just underestimating your capabilities?
The problem is we’re going to have a massive influx in four years time for the Football World Cup and there aren’t enough new ATCs coming through the ranks – we’re even battling to keep the highly paid contract workers?
Forgive me if I don’t use all the jargon but I’m a journalist – my role is to decipher and communicate what is actually going on so that the powers that be actually understand the severity of the problem and do something about it for the betterment of all South Africa’s ATCs!!
I have spoken to several ATCs here in SA and I’m wanting to get confirmation on what they are feeling. People are nervous to speak because their jobs are on the line, yet everyday they go to work under conditions far more stressful than most other ATCs worldwide because of these staff shortages.
Even the pilots notice it. Airlines notice it. Passengers are clueless as to why their flights are being delayed for up to 45minutes when it’s a gorgeous day in Johannesburg, and there’s no reason for the delay other than capacity, one ATC operating what should be three or even five sectors, and then not getting a break for 4-5 hours. Add to that four days off in a month. Or am I just underestimating your capabilities?
The problem is we’re going to have a massive influx in four years time for the Football World Cup and there aren’t enough new ATCs coming through the ranks – we’re even battling to keep the highly paid contract workers?
Forgive me if I don’t use all the jargon but I’m a journalist – my role is to decipher and communicate what is actually going on so that the powers that be actually understand the severity of the problem and do something about it for the betterment of all South Africa’s ATCs!!
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Journo or not, is besides the point. This topic always dies a very quick death because no-one is prepared to speak on the subject. This problem has been ongoing since ATNS took over from the Dept of Transport in 1994. I left for dustier pastures in 1995 and left ATC altogether at the end of 1998. Interesting to see how this subject rears it "ugly" head every few years.
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Mr./Ms. Africanborn, ask interested parties to PM you, there-upon providing your Name, Media Association and all contact details including e-mail, fax and telephonic(Land & Mobile). Attempt to give those parties that do contact you a date when the article or pogramme will be featured and tentative date.
Contacting ATC's through the executive management at ATNS will not endanger their jobs. If done surrepitiously then no-doubt it will as there is a clause to that effect in every employees contract. ATNS is still para-statal so denying any interview or review in the media by its executive management will in consequence carry an effect that in the general publics eyes will have strong negative overtones. A para-statal company in a fledgling democracy will not chance that and have to date never denied access to its ATC's. ATNS is also supportive of its ATC Guild, that being GATCSA. This guild is relatively strong in its legislative entrenchment. Contact them.
Having stated all that start to conduct matters with purpose and stop messing about like you are in a kindegarten amusement park!
Contacting ATC's through the executive management at ATNS will not endanger their jobs. If done surrepitiously then no-doubt it will as there is a clause to that effect in every employees contract. ATNS is still para-statal so denying any interview or review in the media by its executive management will in consequence carry an effect that in the general publics eyes will have strong negative overtones. A para-statal company in a fledgling democracy will not chance that and have to date never denied access to its ATC's. ATNS is also supportive of its ATC Guild, that being GATCSA. This guild is relatively strong in its legislative entrenchment. Contact them.
Having stated all that start to conduct matters with purpose and stop messing about like you are in a kindegarten amusement park!
Last edited by topo di radar; 14th Jul 2006 at 16:24.
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Topo di radar
RELAX....The man/woman is only trying to do their job. There's no call for that kind of language. He asked a question. Thats all. Pprune is a medium for all in the aviation industry to gather information. Africanborn is welcome to the forum. If anybody wants to answer his/her questions they are free to do so. If you need information on any topic, what do you do? I suspect you would try to get the information by whatever means. Am I right? Judging by the way you aggressively launched yourself at africanborn, you are either at odds with journalists or one of those stressed out SA controllers who's pretty cheesed off with the shortage!!
RELAX....The man/woman is only trying to do their job. There's no call for that kind of language. He asked a question. Thats all. Pprune is a medium for all in the aviation industry to gather information. Africanborn is welcome to the forum. If anybody wants to answer his/her questions they are free to do so. If you need information on any topic, what do you do? I suspect you would try to get the information by whatever means. Am I right? Judging by the way you aggressively launched yourself at africanborn, you are either at odds with journalists or one of those stressed out SA controllers who's pretty cheesed off with the shortage!!
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Its the folly of it, and knowing the environment. Any information garnered would be extremely valuable and accurate. The manner in which it is being proposed in trying to illicit this information will be wasted.
Firstly, every editor/executive producer is answerable to legal aspects. To circumvent that credible origins must be proven, even though they will in the end be protected by annonymity, the governing body of that particular media outlet must have satisfied certain regulations in assuring that what is being exposed to the public is tangable and credible.
A rumour network, although encompassing many professional views is just that, a rumour network................the origin not even known to the person gathering the informaion. Any editor/producer worth his salt will in all probability not allow this. Yet even if somehow the information reaches the public I can assure you that the executive management at ATNS is also familiar with this site and to them it will be akin to carrying allegations made on a "party-line". The person bringing the story to the door of the CEO at ATNS will no doubt be shown the door in pretty short order.
In addition, and this is of greater concen to me than anything else, every person has a certain thumb-print, if you will, in the way in which they express themselves via the written word. I am able to pick out certain individuals contributing to this site after not having seen or spoken to them for in excess of seven years, do you honestly think that their managers who see and deal with them on a regular basis are unable to do this?
This might not have that a great impact on those still employed by ATNS, but chances are those willing to return after their tenure abroad might very well find themselves frowning as to why they are being rejected. This is of course just a probability.
Aside from all that, there is a code of conduct that journalists are bound by in order that they above everything else, dont embarrass the orginizations they work for, and attempting to gather information to promulgate an article/programme on a rumour network without any verification is either really short-sighted or an error of someone who is let loose without supervision or correct training.
Firstly, every editor/executive producer is answerable to legal aspects. To circumvent that credible origins must be proven, even though they will in the end be protected by annonymity, the governing body of that particular media outlet must have satisfied certain regulations in assuring that what is being exposed to the public is tangable and credible.
A rumour network, although encompassing many professional views is just that, a rumour network................the origin not even known to the person gathering the informaion. Any editor/producer worth his salt will in all probability not allow this. Yet even if somehow the information reaches the public I can assure you that the executive management at ATNS is also familiar with this site and to them it will be akin to carrying allegations made on a "party-line". The person bringing the story to the door of the CEO at ATNS will no doubt be shown the door in pretty short order.
In addition, and this is of greater concen to me than anything else, every person has a certain thumb-print, if you will, in the way in which they express themselves via the written word. I am able to pick out certain individuals contributing to this site after not having seen or spoken to them for in excess of seven years, do you honestly think that their managers who see and deal with them on a regular basis are unable to do this?
This might not have that a great impact on those still employed by ATNS, but chances are those willing to return after their tenure abroad might very well find themselves frowning as to why they are being rejected. This is of course just a probability.
Aside from all that, there is a code of conduct that journalists are bound by in order that they above everything else, dont embarrass the orginizations they work for, and attempting to gather information to promulgate an article/programme on a rumour network without any verification is either really short-sighted or an error of someone who is let loose without supervision or correct training.
Last edited by topo di radar; 14th Jul 2006 at 22:07.
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topo di radar
I was going to spend some time on this reply, justifying and answering the points you raise but it's a waste of my time. I'd never dream of doing a story purely on anonymous comments - that would just be stupid! Fact is, you have no idea what other information I have - so maybe look at your own skewed position.
I have spoken to ATCs here and abroad - I just wanted to expand my own perspectives, as any good journalist would do. Topo di radar, thanks for wasting my time. Anyone, apart from the obvious ATCs with a chip on their shoulder and the sun shining out their ass, who wants to give me valuable comment I would truly appreciate it. There is nothing underhanded about what I'm doing, its just another method of sourcing reliable information and being able to discuss it... intelligently!
I was going to spend some time on this reply, justifying and answering the points you raise but it's a waste of my time. I'd never dream of doing a story purely on anonymous comments - that would just be stupid! Fact is, you have no idea what other information I have - so maybe look at your own skewed position.
I have spoken to ATCs here and abroad - I just wanted to expand my own perspectives, as any good journalist would do. Topo di radar, thanks for wasting my time. Anyone, apart from the obvious ATCs with a chip on their shoulder and the sun shining out their ass, who wants to give me valuable comment I would truly appreciate it. There is nothing underhanded about what I'm doing, its just another method of sourcing reliable information and being able to discuss it... intelligently!
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Number 2. Agreed this is a worldwide problem. I think essentially it's due to the fact that in most countries the ATS provider has a "monopoly" (for lack of a better word) and can pretty much do as they like as far as the ATC's are concerned. If an ATC is unhappy with his work conditions, pay etc there are really only 2 options open to him/her.
1. Leave for another country and be subject to another "monopoly" hoping it will be better than the one you just left.
2. Leave the profession altogether.
Having done both, I can say that the easiest option is the first one despite the problems associated with moving to another country, different cultures etc.
The second option is much more difficult because an ATC qualification means nothing outside of the aviation world. To add to this, the love of aviation is impossible to get out of your blood making it that much harder. Having put in the spade work at university and now working out of the aviation world, my working conditions etc now depend to a large extent on my own drive. Being in the private sector you literally have hundreds of options should you not be happy with your current position.
My advice to the ATC's out there is to study or get qualified in something else. This seriously expands your options if you ever decide you've had enough (for whatever reason) or if you ever have the oportunity to move into management circles.
1. Leave for another country and be subject to another "monopoly" hoping it will be better than the one you just left.
2. Leave the profession altogether.
Having done both, I can say that the easiest option is the first one despite the problems associated with moving to another country, different cultures etc.
The second option is much more difficult because an ATC qualification means nothing outside of the aviation world. To add to this, the love of aviation is impossible to get out of your blood making it that much harder. Having put in the spade work at university and now working out of the aviation world, my working conditions etc now depend to a large extent on my own drive. Being in the private sector you literally have hundreds of options should you not be happy with your current position.
My advice to the ATC's out there is to study or get qualified in something else. This seriously expands your options if you ever decide you've had enough (for whatever reason) or if you ever have the oportunity to move into management circles.
