LARS at it's best
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Joined: Feb 2000
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From: UK
LARS at it's best
I was flying along minding my own business on Saturday afternoon (right into a howling headwind, so in no hurry!), with 120.225 on the set - Solent Radar.
A PA28 called up on a solo QXC from Bournemouth, clearly quite nervous (who isn't on that exercise), asked for, and received a FIS.
5 minutes later he called again, his voice sounding more than a little panicked, saying that he was unsure of position, and asking for a fix.
At which point the controller displayed what I can only regard as his profession at his best. Without once sounding patronising, he developed a tone of voice that was milky-smooth in his calmness, despite clearly poor radar coverage managed without putting any more work onto the pilot than absolutely necessary to get a fix, helped him to steer around a couple of danger areas, and eventually with a much less uptight sounding pilot, handed him off en-route after about half an hour.
Presumably the pilot finished his QXC successfully, and if so very well done to him. But for me what really stood out was controlling at it's best - whoever this controller was, my congratulations to him for doing a really professional, sensible, and human job.
Just thought I'd share that, we spend too much time talking about problems and bad practices, that it's worth saying sometimes when you've seen (or in this case heard) something really exceptional.
G
A PA28 called up on a solo QXC from Bournemouth, clearly quite nervous (who isn't on that exercise), asked for, and received a FIS.
5 minutes later he called again, his voice sounding more than a little panicked, saying that he was unsure of position, and asking for a fix.
At which point the controller displayed what I can only regard as his profession at his best. Without once sounding patronising, he developed a tone of voice that was milky-smooth in his calmness, despite clearly poor radar coverage managed without putting any more work onto the pilot than absolutely necessary to get a fix, helped him to steer around a couple of danger areas, and eventually with a much less uptight sounding pilot, handed him off en-route after about half an hour.
Presumably the pilot finished his QXC successfully, and if so very well done to him. But for me what really stood out was controlling at it's best - whoever this controller was, my congratulations to him for doing a really professional, sensible, and human job.
Just thought I'd share that, we spend too much time talking about problems and bad practices, that it's worth saying sometimes when you've seen (or in this case heard) something really exceptional.
G
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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From: Maders UK
Good call Genghis,
I have been helped out on more than one occasion by a calm voice who I have never met.
When your head is bouncing off the canopy and you are unable to make contact with any of the buttons on the panel because of turbulence the last thing you need reminding of is the fact that you are on the wrong quadrantal etc...
My favourite 3 controller voices are all based in the Southwest (and Jersey) and would give Mr Kipling a run for his money in the soothing voice stakes.
I am sure the all make exceedingly good cakes also,
SB
I have been helped out on more than one occasion by a calm voice who I have never met.
When your head is bouncing off the canopy and you are unable to make contact with any of the buttons on the panel because of turbulence the last thing you need reminding of is the fact that you are on the wrong quadrantal etc...
My favourite 3 controller voices are all based in the Southwest (and Jersey) and would give Mr Kipling a run for his money in the soothing voice stakes.
I am sure the all make exceedingly good cakes also,
SB
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
I'm still grateful to the Birmingham ATCO who helped me many years ago, when I was very new PPL and very lost somewhere in their airspace. He calmly directed me to the bit of the motorway system I needed to find my way home, and then told me I could stay with him to the limit of his radar coverage if I didn't feel up to talking to anyone new just yet. I've never forgotten his kindness, and I never will. 
Thread Starter
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From: UK
G
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Wildest Surrey
Actually I think it's only certain controllers there who will work traffic outside their airspace; often if you try to hand them a transit, they will say give it to Bournemouth (who are a LARS unit) even if it's to the east of them. It all really depends how busy they are with their own traffic of course.
