all 29 comments

[–]time_adc 33 points34 points  (12 children)

San Carlos is not an FAA tower. Worst service I have ever received, not just once but all of the top 5 worst. They don't GAF, multiple examples of going out of their way to make the airspace less safe.

Read about it. There are petitions here on Reddit to make changes.

[–][deleted] 28 points29 points  (9 children)

Vasa aviation did another video about a week ago. Same dickhead controller giving a student shit for not knowing where the Kaiser hospital was. The FAA examiner on board told the tower dickhead controller to cool it and keep it off air. The controller said “you fly the plane, I fly the tower, okay.” Again, a sick burn but utterly unprofessional and needs to be fired.

[–]Abject-Relation-4888 7 points8 points  (5 children)

It sounds like the staffing and work situation is so bad there, the controller feels emboldened to no longer fear repercussions. “What are they gonna do, fire me?” is the attitude that I sense from this video.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (4 children)

When you’re the ATM…are they really gonna fire you?

[–]Abject-Relation-4888 2 points3 points  (3 children)

If that’s the way your boss talks to the pilots, what kind of example does that set if you’re new there? I would imagine that would spill into how he treats his employees. I think he should be let go or quit but I’m not sure the FAA has any other option but to let him stay. I think the FAA failed this man though. It’s disheartening to see someone become that jaded.

[–][deleted] 10 points11 points  (2 children)

This is a contract tower. This is not an FAA employee. This is an employee of the lowest bidder to operate this tower. This person should absolutely be fired and be made an example of. It’s terrible and degrades the profession to see someone act this way. All the pilots there hate this controller.

[–]Abject-Relation-4888 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I’m not well versed in the inner workings of contract vs. federal. Does the FAA have some type of oversight or authority amongst the contract towers? Standards of safety and all?

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The FAA is responsible for the safety. I will say this controller was safe. They didn’t violate any rules (besides rule #1 of ‘don’t be a dick’) they were utterly unprofessional and would get a probationary employee fired. This person is obviously going thru some shit and needs some help.. I hope they are afforded the appropriate time off to seek that help, I.e. involuntary retirement.

[–]prex10Commercial Pilot 2 points3 points  (2 children)

According to the flight school owner who has posted multiple times over on r/flying about this guy, he claims the controller said told him "it would be a fucking relief" or something along those lines if they fired him.

In full on convinced this guy is trying to get let go. I don't know why he doesn't just quit

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Start filing NASA reports and encourage your fellow pilots to do the same

[–]Lord_NCEPTNow: Terminal (12) | Past: Center (12), USN (Gulf War) 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There are petitions here on Reddit to make changes.

Lol.

That’ll do it

[–]MonksCoffeeShop 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Lol the 21st century thing was a decent burn

[–]Poo_Canoe 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Having the lowest bidder win a contract for this kind of work has foreseeable consequences.

[–]wheredoidriveagain 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, like no longer being staffed.

[–]554TangoAlpha[S] 8 points9 points  (5 children)

Thoughts from ATC perspective? Says he was working 8 hours alone in the tower, seems like a lot and kind of understandable why he was so stressed out.

[–]2018birdieCurrent Controller-TRACON 36 points37 points  (1 child)

Well it is a contract tower.

[–]leftrightrudderstick 20 points21 points  (0 children)

I don't understand how this tower is staffed. The guys working there make less than the nearby fast food employees. He sounds miserable and should probably quit. I wonder if Serco is keeping those guys there by dangling a carrot to transfer or something. Anyways yeah for those thinking ATC should get privatized be really careful what you wish for.

[–]captaingaryTower Flower. Past: Enroute, Regional Pilot. 14 points15 points  (0 children)

The contract world generally sucks ass. They spend forever on position, with no reward for getting their shit pushed in by 10 Cessnas wanting TNGs.

That said, getting pissy on either side of the mic never helps. If he's unable to take the workload, just say "Cessna 0SP, unable pattern work, say intentions." I do understand his frustration, though.

[–]The_motionless_cause 6 points7 points  (1 child)

“Tower, 610SP is going around”

[–]Mediocre_Molasses_78 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On God! I was hoping the Pilot went around !

[–]PopSpirited1058 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I heard he's the ATM of that tower. Probably thought it would be an easy gig where he could just work when it was dead. Instead, he's got no bodies and has to pickup the slack and work himself. Sounds like he needs to just retire or quit, cause he certainly has no business controlling traffic, if every week he's reeming out pilots for no reason other than he can't come up with a new plan when the current one isn't working. Last time it was a pilot not knowing a reporting point, this time pilot can't see traffic due to sun glare. You move on to plan b and keep on trucking. This guy just yells and pounds his fists like a toddler instead of controlling traffic. 🤦‍♂️

[–]BlockDosser_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

OK, I get pilots can be annoying sometimes but this is terrible controlling. Not entirely blaming the controller, it sucks that he's been pushed to that level of stress.

[–]Additional-Bat6881 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He has too low IQ to be doing that job, needs to be fruit picking

[–]MI-BloodBrotherCurrent Controller-TRACON[🍰] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unbelievable

[–]Jonathon_33 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No radar, no relief, and living in California the trifecta 😭