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Serco's crumbling Empire

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Serco's crumbling Empire

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Old 2nd Jul 2002, 08:35
  #61 (permalink)  
 
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Drone

Get a life - or a dictionary!

(if that's a product of state education I think I'll teach my own kids )

CM
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Old 8th Jul 2002, 20:16
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Wink

...and here are the headline once again:

SERCo are still at Wattisham.
NATS are still whinging.
Safeskys still make people laugh and birds worried.
oh
and VT are still Airwork.

Quelle fromage!

Back to the top!
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Old 9th Jul 2002, 10:55
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Is that chronic fatigue at Wattisham? Ha. I was there when they had 'Tooms' - proper aircraft.

I just Lurve Serco's share price at the moment = long may it plummet!
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Old 9th Jul 2002, 18:19
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Minesapint Wattisham and Serco only hire and train professionals. I think - drone with his lack of keyboard skills and your lame attempt at trying to sound superior are probably in the same funny club - professionals get on with the job and respect each other, who ever they work for - think your sell by date needs to be checked and your sweeties handed back.
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Old 10th Jul 2002, 09:16
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I have every respect for aviation professionals and, excluding accountants, most other professions. I despise Serco and its method of operations. FREE SPEACH. Shares down to 152.5 today - excellent!
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Old 10th Jul 2002, 21:14
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Sounds like you have had more than a pint. The bitterness you obviously have for Serco means you had dealings with them in the past; that is gin clear. I for one, have total trust in the way they provide their ATC provision; not just in the UK but worldwide. Having now worked and validated at 6 of Sercos ATC units, including some of their lager (oops) larger units, I will continue to support them regardless of the share prices. Which if you look worldwide have all dropped. Stop wine-ding everyone up and have a black coffee and sober up to the real world. As for EGUW; long may it reign under Serco as they are the most professional ATCOs and ATCAs that I have ever worked with, providing a valuable service to pilots in East Anglia.
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Old 10th Jul 2002, 21:17
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down in one

minesapint - you're not very nice are you?

It seems to me from the above listings that the serco personnel are a pretty straight up and decent lot, the search for profit may not be everyone's cup of tea, but let's face it, the air transport industry has never been a charitible organisation has it?

I suggest you wake up and smell the roses.
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Old 10th Jul 2002, 21:28
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Times 6, more lead to your pencil. I'm with you on this - I have been at 5 serco units ( have we met in a previous life?) and have no qualms in acknowledging the abilities of their staff.

Yes, serco does have it's problems - mainly image based, but their heart and intentions are good and true. As for the share price, well that's just market forces, and what goes down will without doubt go up!
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Old 10th Jul 2002, 21:35
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Bird of prey and razors edge have said it all.Perhaps when minesapint gets back from the pub he/she would go to bed with coffee and roses.I only hope He/she is not on an early shift in the morning.
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Old 11th Jul 2002, 11:40
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You lot are so easy to wind up its sad. Even though I say that I respect professionals - even Serco, VT, Airwork whatever but despise Serco practices you have the ability to totally ignore that, confuse a night shift with a trip to the pub (hmmmmm) and expose the massive 'chip on shoulder' that many ATCO's display following any sort of minor 'attack' to any part of their working lives.

Serco certainly has an 'image problem'. That is the kindest way of putting it. NATS will shortly go into a recruiting mode unseen before. Fancy a job??

I think outfits like Serco and Jarvis should go out of business due to the profit v safety argument. That will never change.
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Old 11th Jul 2002, 18:41
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A job with NATS?!!

Minesapint,
A job with NATS you say? Sounds tempting `cos there in such great shape! If the posts from NATS people are anything to go by, no thanks.
By the way, why the huge chip on your shoulder about Serco then? Remember, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. If you had a bad experience with the company, I`m sure you`re not alone. But you would be in the distinct minority. Doesn`t matter what company you work for, life isn`t a bed of roses from start to finish. The ATC division of Serco have a lot of people ( some of whom are ex-NATS) who enjoy the job they do and the benefits and respect of the company they work for. Who could want more?
Oh, and if you have never had any direct dealing with Serco, wind your neck in as you obviously have no clue in what you`re saying. Nothing worse than someone who loves running off at the mouth without a single fact to back anything up.

Red Dragon
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Old 11th Jul 2002, 19:26
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Minesapint

condescending claptrap - quite clear just who has the 'chip on their shoulder'. God save us from wind up merchants who can't take a little of their own medicine - if you really couldn't see the joke in Times 6 posting - ask a 5 year old. Bigger topics to be discussed on this forum than 'my ATC unit is better than yours, and my Company is better than yours too........ Red Dragon spot on - all ATC providers could improve and some even are constructively doing something about it. Safety v Profit - all ATC Providers have to make a profit but Serco makes safety its highest priority. Believe me Tower Management are experienced, professional and have very big teeth. Sounds like a very personal beef with Serco - maybe one of those who were culled?
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Old 11th Jul 2002, 20:46
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Everyone,

Is it me or is Minesapint not only an arsehole but I very much doubt he is an ATCO. Take for instance, the following quote,

"I think outfits like Serco and Jarvis should go out of business due to the profit v safety argument"

I AM a Serco controllerat Wattisham, I know the limits of my licence, and I have NEVER been asked by anyone to do anything that may compromise safety.

Serco has, quite rightly, a safety first policy however the validity of my licence is MY responsibility and will not follow policy that infringes safety. Minesapint stop talking bollocks.
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Old 12th Jul 2002, 09:33
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Cool

Minesapint,
What exactly did Serco do to you to make you so bitter? How about sharing it with the group?

If not then sod off to the Jet Blast forum and play with the other jokers.

Cheers,
LXGB
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Old 12th Jul 2002, 09:58
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This is getting too personal now.

I would like to get back to the subject. Aardvark and his colleagues are no doubt very pleased to have got their 6 month extension at Wattisham.

The MOD are reviewing their original award to VT which has now been voided, and will no doubt decide what to do very shortly. As I said in a previous post, I think there's only one option. STATUS QUO!
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Old 13th Jul 2002, 18:59
  #76 (permalink)  
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So Legs, what you're saying is that Satus Quo have got the Wattisham ATC contract .

I knew that performing with Steeli Span was a bad move, but I didn't think it would come to this!
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Old 18th Jul 2002, 23:32
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Talking

I will not enlarge on the contract at EGUW but the extension is possibly longer than 6 months!!.Staff are happy and the good service provided continues.
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Old 19th Jul 2002, 12:20
  #78 (permalink)  
 
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Wink

Well, Wattisham might be sorted, but I think the next bush fire is starting at Cranfield .

The good service is still being provided (but only when they have enough fully valid controllers on watch to provide it), but it doesn't seem to me that the staff are all that happy .

They've only got 1 part-timer (another one training), one ADC only, and three fully valid, one of whom I gather has resigned and is working their notice:o .

Oh and the contract re-bid I believe is sometime next year I doubt the customer can be too happy about all that, what are the odds on a change of provider??
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Old 19th Jul 2002, 12:34
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Gypsy

A change of provider is all well and good - but it doesn't (as Wattisham proved) solve the main problem in ATC.

There are insufficient qualified and competent people in ATC to fill the slots available.

And it's not going to get better for a long time. The only decent choice of ATC provider at any unit is one which has an established staff training programme. If you don't have that you're on a hiding to nothing (as VT found out).

CM
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Old 22nd Jul 2002, 13:56
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Cranfield's problems

Chilli, you are so right.

Yes there's a small problem at Cranfield right now, but it will be solved pretty soon.

The present SATCO is on maternity leave and back in October, there are two controllers on courses at the moment who will be back on unit by year end, and the ADC only mentioned by Gypsy Queen will be on an APC course by early next year.

That gives them 4 more fully qualified controllers by early 2003, a total of 6, in plenty time for the re-bid.

The two part-timers are only in as short-term replacements (and pretty good ones at that, I mighty say ).
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