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.

The ugly side of ATC is that it's hard to change profession...

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.

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.

After reading any pilot's forum online you will realize how much worse your working conditions could be.

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.

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.

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 !

"technology for the sake of it"

It's breaking my heart. Beancounters are winning too

In all my years, I have always found a new pen with ink in it!

maybe the "golden years" were never sustainable, and today we are just paying the price of unrealistic pension schemes, benefits and budgets ;)

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.

LEGAL TENDER,
Maybe they weren't & maybe you are. Thanks !

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...

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.

This thread should be retitled" Getting Old/ Midlife Crisis/ Getting P8ssed Off" etc etc etc:D

I still love the job as much as when I first started 23 years ago.

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.

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. :)

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. :}