A FAA Representative is on C-Span, its scary

[ThomWV]

C-Span is interviewing Victoria Cox, FAA Planning and Operations Vice President, live this morning. They are taking calls as well. I'm getting a very uneasy feeling that all is not well with our Air Traffic Control system. This lady is putting icing on a cake on the sweetest day god ever let the sun shine down on the sweet little children, but the callers are saying the system is horrible broken. Her responses seem disingenuous. Some are alarming. She claims that new hire air traffic controllers require less training by years because of their experience with video games - they have better hand to eye to screen coordination according to her. Also, it seems they have privatized training by abandoning it themselves while still requiring it for hire. So if you want a job you have to find a private school to train you so you can have the minimum qualifications. We expect this in private industry but this is a different case. The Government is the only employer when it comes to air traffic control, why should private schools be training for jobs that only the Government has?

It goes on and on, but not once has this person, this Ms. Cox, mentioned that this is a matter of public safety. Where in hell are the priorities? This is about every airplane in the sky, its about the people in those planes and its about us down here below where the parts of them will land if they collide.

[libnnc]

1. If you want the truth

Check out the NATCA website.

www.natca.org

My partner is an ATCer. It's bad. And it will only get worse as droves of experienced controllers opt to retire as soon as they can. The FAA would rather the new kids work (they're cheaper to afford) and make the work environment so toxic that the experienced controllers just say "fuck it all" and leave as soon as they're eligible.

The FAA likes to blow sunshine.

[ThomWV]

2. The woman is being very very elusive when it comes to training requirements

It just gets worse and worse as more people call in. Its clear the callers are experienced and concerned people and its equally clear that something is very very wrong with air traffic control and its equally clear that the typical Bush Administration pollution is at play here.

They seem to have outsourced the training, are getting rid of experienced workers, cutting cost beyond reason, putting off maintenance based on the promise of future improved systems, and outsourcing everything. No concern for the public.

That's the message I'm getting.

[marmar]

3. The cawler from New Yawk just said "Newkuhlah" as opposed to "Nuclear"

"Nukular" just drives me nuts!

[rsmith6621]

4. Regional Jets Are A Part Of The Problem

.....as well as BIZ JETS that pay nothing in taxes for using the airspace......

[KharmaTrain]

5. The Fear Of Flying...

First...the priorities in this regime is always to "privitize" or outsource to GOOPer pals above all else. They've long wanted to "privitize" the air traffic system rather than paying Union wages and benefits. It's not just cutting costs, it's a visceral repugnican hatred of unions and their unfettered greed that pays little attention to safety or effectiveness.

I enjoy traveling, but flying has become a real pain. If it's not the regressive TSA searches that are dog and pony shows (we're still taking off damn shoes for a kook's failed "bomb"...has anyone attempted this stunt since??), its the overbooking and over-deregulated airlines that maximize profits at the sake of safety and then the constant delays and other problems with an overloaded system that drove competition out and is fat on their own arrogance. I dread having to go anywhere near an airport these days.

[SpiralHawk]

6. "Cox is doing a heckuva job. After all, she's a republicon crony. Smirk." - Commander AWOL

[MercutioATC]

7. A great example of the things the FAA is doing:

The FAA designed new procedures to "streamline" flights in and out of Philadelphia without air traffic controller input.

The controllers saw that, under a certain runway configuration, if a plane on approach missed approach, it would turn directly into planes departing from another runway. They, rightly, considered this an unsafe condition and reported it.

The official response from the FAA through their Eastern Division spokesperson?

"If any controller at the Philadelphia Airport believes that these procedures are unsafe, they should look for work elsewhere.…If they don’t like working for FAA, they should reconsider their line of work."

[libnnc]

8. I copied your post and emailed it to my SO

She's just been elected Union Rep at CLT. Shit like this makes her nuts. If we get a greater majority in congress and the White House, do you think anything will change?

[trof]

9. Oh jeez. Pay for your own training?

That is REALLY cheap and cheesey.
Airlines started doing that with cabin attendants and now (I think) pilots.

"Hey! Why GIVE away this training that we require? Heck, we can CHARGE them for it!"

I started with TWA in October of '68.
On the payroll.
You had to have some minimum qualifications (500 hrs. flying time, commercial and instrument licenses), but I went to a 3 month school to learn the TWA way.
On the payroll from day one.

Now the attitude in corporate and government life is 'Let's bleed them for every nickel we can get.'
:grr: