Although the ATC staff at the coal face might consider their units to be in need of staff (myself included), often is the case that the unit management consider otherwise which is probably why there are so few job adverts out there currently.

Safeskys under Airpartner umbrella since Sep 2017. Would suggest that’s why their website is unavailable.

How are they doing for numbers at Birmingham and Edinburgh now they have fallen out of the NATS fold? Another thread on here about Air Nav Solutions suggests they are struggling at Gatters...

Newcastle is very interesting at the moment!

Isn’t that the case everywhere ? I spent 38 years in ATC & the vast majority - but not all - of the managers that I came across were of “ lesser ability” when it came to actual controlling .

In my view, some of them were good managers. These tended to be the ones who delegated a lot of their tasks; or those who involved operational ATCOs in working/project groups. I suppose that the uncharitable would claim that this was because they were not “up to the job” themselves ! The last ten years , or so, of my career did involve myself & a lot of , what I would call, “good operational ATCOS” working closely with the SATCO on important projects. Nevertheless, there were still those “on the shop floor” who found fault with the individual concerned - principally because he was not fully doing the job that he was paid for ! You just can’t win !

"In ATC, when heads roll, they roll uphill!" I think I'm quoting correctly from the long lost ATC magazine "On Watch" about fifty years ago, in turn quoting, I think, a Canadian source. You, Keith, should know how true that was, given the procession of the incompetent, the lying, the self-serving and the stupid we had to work with and for! I may not be the "Ace of the Base" but my career was blocked by a person I considered, with some justification and staff agreement, was most incompetent operational controller in history!

Thanks for your PM last week! I thoroughly agree with what you said but didn't have much success in replying by private message, and I don't think I should say anything more on the public forum!

They were advertising for a tower position and it seems to be the strangest situation. An ex colleague of mine said There was no Satco or training department member at the interview, it was carried out by HR and an operations manager. So no scenarios or sim runs.....

No, really, what IS going on at Newcastle???
Apparently they’ve appointed a new SATCO that is a single rated controller with less than 5 years ATC experience. Obvious not bothered about knowledge and experience, if you want to climb the ladder, head up there!!!!

Not what you know..but who you know?

Im sure due diligence by the interview team has been done and the successful candidate has ticked all the appropriate boxes?

Looking for a job.....Said it before but still valid - what matters is whether they can manage a unit....un quote,


However ,with less than five years experience and one rating...the candidate must have shown some amazing qualities to
impress and pass such an intense interview? Wonder if he/she can sort Brexit out for us all?