@Ray Proudfoot

They have a big suite of area and approach radar simulators down at the Swannick (London) air traffic control centre.

They conduct what they call TRUCE training,  training for unusual circumstances and emergencies. They invite airline pilots down to these sessions to talk over issues from our perspective and we sit with the simulator instructors and do the pilot RT for them stimulating emergencies.
 

Ive done a couple, and used to go in to the old Manchester control centre when that was at the airport. They’re very interesting and useful sessions for both sides.

@jon b, sounds really interesting Jon. Around 14 years ago when the Radar Contact team were active the British AT Controller who helped with correct phraseology for ICAO rules said to me that if I was ever around Hampshire he’d give me a tour of Swanwick. Sadly I never got down there and he retired a few years later. It’s a profession I have huge respect for.

The BBC did a series a few years ago from the new tower at Heathrow. Really enjoyed that too and what was interesting was the controllers didn’t need an arm full of qualifications. They needed to act calm under pressure which you probably can’t teach.

7 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

what was interesting was the controllers didn’t need an arm full of qualifications. They needed to act calm under pressure which you probably can’t teach.

I applied for air traffic control officer twice, and assistant once as a teenager, never made the grade, I had to settle for doing the radio from the cockpit instead.

Its a shame you never got to visit swannick, it would have been worth the drive down, amazing vibe to the place.

@jon b, yes, I regret not making the effort now. But I didn’t know anyone in that part of the country who I could visit.

So you missed out on becoming a controller but made the grade as a pilot which I thought would be a lot harder.

I worked with a guy who was a navigator on Tornadoes in the RAF; he flew combat missions in the 1991 Gulf War, so he was used to a bit of pressure. He tried out for ATC training but said when he did the assessment for it, he determined wasn't suited to the pressure and multitasking it required!

 

@Chock, different types of pressure I guess. And the multitasking bit makes females more suitable perhaps. I’d be useless. One problem at a time is how I operate. They’d be mayhem if they let me loose! 😁

There was a study done some years back by the U.S. Navy comparing the multi-tasking abilities of males vs. females in a highly complex air-to-air combat environment. I've looked again several times for the results but they are no where to be found now (at least by me). IIRC, the bottom line was the ladies kicked the guys butts. Probably got suppressed as it didn't fit the macho carrier-pilot image.

That I can well believe. My late wife would have been excellent: she could watch TV, knit and read all at the same time and still answer anything I asked her.😄

Correct. From a man who works in operations, I'd say our biggest 2 challenges at the moment is pilot recency issues. (take off and landings in 90 days) 

And covid restrictions and testing of the crew.  It's a never ending drama. Take HKG for example 

We are operating a LHR HKG LHR (crew stay on all the way around) with a heavy  7 man crew on it (to get around getting off in HKG and having to iscolate in the crew hotel) 

The CAA have given us (and other UK airlines) an alleviation to do it while Covid is on, but its still a crew of 7 but only 2 will 'get the sector' for the take off and landing recency. 

Ive seen that many pilots over the last year either get layed off and are now working as project managers for the NHS doing track and trace.

Or just hanging up the headsets indefinitely and going into other industries (loads to the railway) because the industry is so unstable and they can't afford to be layed off this year.   Its truly heartbreaking 

 

Edited February 2, 20215 yr by fluffyflops

On 2/1/2021 at 11:32 PM, jon b said:

I had to settle for doing the radio from the cockpit instead

not to mention learning to fly a plane or two. Ah, a cross you have to bear eh, John? 

On 2/2/2021 at 2:34 AM, IanHarrison said:

and still answer anything I asked her.

At least you weren't ignored..... 🤣 .