Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Ground & Other Ops Forums > ATC Issues
Reload this Page >

Falling out of love with the job?

ATC Issues A place where pilots may enter the 'lions den' that is Air Traffic Control in complete safety and find out the answers to all those obscure topics which you always wanted to know the answer to but were afraid to ask.

Falling out of love with the job?

Old 15th Dec 2013, 18:05
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Here and There
Age: 46
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Falling out of love with the job?

Safety management systems, accountabilities, responsibilities, technology for the sake of it, new procedures to reduce man power, Europe, etc, etc, etc.
Use the Force is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 18:37
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The ugly side of ATC is that it's hard to change profession...
samotnik is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 18:53
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Around
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ATC definitely isn't a career for people who find change difficult. Which is unfortunate as it has a lot of people like that, and change is the only constant.
rodan is online now  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 20:25
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm really sorry to hear how ATC is going. I wanted to be an ATCO when I was about 12. By devious means I achieved my ambition and they were very, very happy working days with some magic people. Glad I saw the best years.
HEATHROW DIRECTOR is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 20:40
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: .
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
After reading any pilot's forum online you will realize how much worse your working conditions could be.
YeahYeah is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 21:00
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Wellington,NZ
Age: 66
Posts: 1,676
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
Don't think I'll ever fall "out of love" with the job.

I started to feel a little jaded about all the garbage that has come about as a result of Corporate-style Best Practices quite some time back.

Kind of curious to see how ridiculous this is going to get. I think they're going to win.
Tarq57 is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 21:24
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Personally, I find myself to be a blue-collar worker, and that sad feeling gets worse over time. ;-) A sort of an easily replaceable sprocket in a computerized mechanism.
samotnik is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 21:42
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: jersey
Age: 74
Posts: 1,474
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
I completely agree with HD. I'm glad I saw the "Golden Years of ATC". They lasted for all my career & I'm glad I didn't have to suffer the crap that occurs nowadays. But, I still miss the job. I can't think of anything better. 37 years & never having to work !
kcockayne is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 22:04
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Róisín Dubh
Posts: 1,389
Received 11 Likes on 4 Posts
"technology for the sake of it"

It's breaking my heart. Beancounters are winning too
Una Due Tfc is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2013, 22:10
  #10 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Here and There
Age: 46
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In all my years, I have always found a new pen with ink in it!
Use the Force is offline  
Old 16th Dec 2013, 15:14
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: behind the fruit
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
maybe the "golden years" were never sustainable, and today we are just paying the price of unrealistic pension schemes, benefits and budgets
LEGAL TENDER is offline  
Old 16th Dec 2013, 16:58
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think it is easy to look back at other generations with envy. The challenges they faced were different but if you cant meet a challenge with a little enthusiasm then its probably time to hang up you headset. I am just grateful no one has developed a computer program that replaces controllers entirely. Air Traffic is still a career that pays you well to enjoy yourself by keeping the skys safe and it is a career to be proud of.
Jof_1999 is offline  
Old 16th Dec 2013, 20:27
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: jersey
Age: 74
Posts: 1,474
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
LEGAL TENDER,
Maybe they weren't & maybe you are. Thanks !
kcockayne is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 05:49
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UAE
Age: 47
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Falling out of love with the job?

There is one place in the world that is still as " old school " as it gets where most of it is still controller driven... Maybe not the nicest place on earth and the work is hectic but it's still untouched in a sense...
waxo is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 06:36
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Wellington,NZ
Age: 66
Posts: 1,676
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by LEGAL TENDER
maybe the "golden years" were never sustainable, and today we are just paying the price of unrealistic pension schemes, benefits and budgets
If "austerity measures" to a degree are needed (and maybe they are/were), I wouldn't be so upset. Nobody really wants to live beyond their means.

When austerity starts to come about/is used as an justification for cost (and quality, and staff) cutting, at the same time as significantly wasteful practices are occurring, that's what rips my wicket.
Tarq57 is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 08:11
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: farfaraway
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This thread should be retitled" Getting Old/ Midlife Crisis/ Getting P8ssed Off" etc etc etc
obwan is offline  
Old 31st Dec 2013, 08:22
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: New York Tracon
Age: 56
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I still love the job as much as when I first started 23 years ago.
N90-EWR is offline  
Old 31st Dec 2013, 10:01
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
N90-EWR Good on you. I'll bet NY TRACON has changed since I visited in 1966. Great bunch of people.. Have a good 2014.
HEATHROW DIRECTOR is offline  
Old 1st Jan 2014, 07:25
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: New York Tracon
Age: 56
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Happy 2014 to you as well.

Visited in 1966? woah..I was born in '67!

That was the old "Common IFR room" in hangar 11 back then, so yes, it has changed quite a bit since those days.
N90-EWR is offline  
Old 7th Jan 2014, 05:09
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Silicon Hills
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Had a 31 yr run, was happy to get out when I did. They were starting to make 6 day weeks mandatory for training. (Because of their utterly failed planning for same) Most of my co-workers who were senior enough burnt out in the following two years, All but one of my crew are retired now.

All the new computers/software/procedures are a perfect match for the generation that keeps a "smart" phone six inches from their nose. My old "dumb" phone stays in the truck and I work two days a week at a golf course now. Sucks to be me.
vector4fun is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.