Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

A long time ago (3yrs???) there was a lengthy Pprune thread in which pilots expressed their views about which ATC units worldwide gave the best service. I've got a serious reason for wanting to find it but I'm struggling. Anyone able to point me to it? Tks. Algy

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Why not just start a new one? If the old one turns up you have a good comparison of opinions then and now.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

I vote for TC................Oh, thats where I work!!

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Algy, at the risk of sounding a little rude, please tell me you're not going to use it/reference it for an article or media story.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Ignore him - he's a journo.....

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

As one Ppruner to another, perhaps you'd like to explain your 'reasoning' HD.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Algy - I can't answer for HD but when I clicked on your name, and visited your website, it looked to be of media/jounalistic interest.

(Having a website called Air Transport Intelligence was the clue)

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

It's a bit more than a clue really. My profile includes my job title and the names of all the publications that I am associated with. It has done since I joined Pprune in 1997. And I have on occasion made posts containing my real name when I've acted as a spokesman for those publications. How much more transparent would you like me to be?

I'm not asking HD to explain how he divined that I'm a journalist. I'm asking him to explain why I should be ignored.

And I'll say in passing that, as a regular Pprune contributor, this is the only forum in which I've received this kind of weirdly negative response.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Algy,

The fact that you have not hid under the veil of anonymity does you credit, but you asked what could be described as a "spikey" question.

Given that most lurkers on here are ATC, then what do you expect?!

Perhaps asking pilots as opposed to ATCOs would get you a better and more reasoned response.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

I think Heathrow are the best.....

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

If we're being judged, can I suggest we start a 'Best pilots as voted by ATC' thread???:E

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

The problem is that the premise of the question itself is just too ridiculous.
What is best? Best you had on a particular day?
Safest or quickest?
Easiest using the best equipment with adequate staffing vs. easiest using crappy equipment and short-staffing?
It is so subjective and incomparable to be the equivalent of "which country in the world has the best citizens?"

Why not ask an American what the most democratic country in the world is?

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Ummm... Iraq? :}

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

I agree :E

Especially those lovely SVFR types

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Oh those Special (needs) boys are certianly a cut above!

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

The unit I work at is full of jolly nice chaps........Am I bias?

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

If you are going to write an article. Can you please inform the rest of the world that we don't wave Ping Pong bats around. Every bloody Christmas in the pub its the same!

Must go, electro therapy session.....

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

That's just great guys!

Now he's most likely to come up with a store about insane and mentaly unstabile ATCOs....
And boy is he spot on! :-))

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

Algy

Ignore HD - he's retired and so must be a grumpy old git, it's expected of him ;)

Seriously though, the query is far too broad based so as to be meaningless. What is meant by 'best' ?? Overall, in specific areas, or just subjectively ?? And how do we measure it ? What's the control sample ? What's the survey group and makeup ? And so on and so forth.

If it's things like delays you want to measure, then for Europe at least, Eurocontrol publish tables. But these are just raw data, there is no account of airspace complexity, constraints, etc. Or if it's cost, then there is a similar thing. But again, no account of charging regimes, government 'assistance', cross subsidies, etc. Or if it's aircraft moved per staff member ....... the list goes on. None conclusively prove anything as you often compare apples with oranges and there is little info on what weighting is given to any assumptions being made.

If you want to know who is best in class, then you need to provide a lot of data on what you want to measure to provide anything meaningful.

Regards

PR

Re: Best ATC as voted by pilots thread
 

How about the old airline pilot who said after landing: "That was my last flight ever. I've been based here twenty years now and I'd just like to thank you folks in ATC, here at xxxx; the service you've given to me over all these years narrowly puts you in second place...."

ATC: "Thanks, but can we ask- who beat us?"

Pilot: "EVERYONE ELSE!" :E
-------------------------------------

Seriously, the service we get in UK is really very good all round but the London controllers take some beating (sometimes we'd like to beat them harder ......only joking).

P.S. So, next time out of Battersea - can I go straight to Brent, please? :D