EGGW Radar contracting out?
 

Does anyone know of any new attempts to contract out radar at Luton to NATS?

Any information would be useful?

Mark Turner

[email protected]

As far as we know it was always expected that GW would come into TC after Stansted. The scenario always was that the TMA cannot stand to have too many ATC services on offer so one service from TC for all the major airports would be more efficient.

EGGW absorbed is greatly distubing to all EGGW ATCO's.

We have just been through the largest private financial initiatve so far in the UK. To face even more uncertainty being involved with the PFI process within NATS, is something none of us want. EGGW was lean leading upto the concession process, so there was littel slack, that cannot be said of the 'Sleeping Giant' in NATS.

Our view is that given code call sign conversion and a radar not constructed in the 1970's we could achieve even more? Our success is down to hard work and the unsettling nature of contracting out will lower morale totally.

MT

It's probably just another step in Terminal Control's world domination plan. As they expand upwards and outwards, soon they will be doing all of Area Control's work and we'll have to renam LATCC just plain old LTCC.

Seriously though, let's have some discussions on what this type of thing can mean, and what the fears might be on both sides of the fence.

For example what is meant by the sleeping giant in NATS ? Would it be likely that NATS will employ the Luton controllers (if this change came to pass) or would it absorb the task into the current operation.

What do you think ?

You have no need to worry for your jobs. If/when NATS takes on the Luton Radar task it will almost certainly employ the existing controllers - or most of them - and on better conditions, pay etc.
TC does not have 'world domination plans'. It has had so much foisted onto it with virtually no increase in staff viz CLN sector, Stansted expanding so fast it will have more movements than Manchester by summer, Lon City doubling its traffic this year, Gatwick expanding further into the night hours and plans to take on most of London Middle etc etc. And they have just posted 5 ATCOs out of TC.
That creaking noise you can hear is the seam bursting - or the controllers queuing up outside the doc's!

[This message has been edited by R Slicker (edited 24 February 1999).]