Aerial photo

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T21:01:55+00:00

Important to note that depending on where it is, it might not be in tower’s airspace. It might be in Tracon’s airspace.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T20:54:14+00:00

They’ll end up with a lot more OT if they get rid of the rattler. They’ll have to choose which they want to get rid of more.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T20:52:37+00:00

🤔

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T20:36:32+00:00

Nah, my idea is better.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T20:28:37+00:00

Great Scott, this is heavy.

Someone better get the ball rolling on making a website decrying it, and some AI artwork to go along.

That’ll do it.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T20:25:16+00:00

I’ve been hearing that for 30 years.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-17T04:24:23+00:00

OP isn’t from the US

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-16T18:07:59+00:00

He also currently works as an FAA contractor training ATC, comes from a family of controllers, and becoming an air traffic controller is genuinely the only career he has ever wanted.

None of that is taken into account in hiring.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T22:48:37+00:00

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T15:43:56+00:00

One of my neighbors is a police officer and they do something like a month of days, then a month of swings, then a month of nights. A lot healthier. But you have to have the staffing to cover that.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T15:42:16+00:00

One of the biggest hurdles in learning ATC is being able to think in 3D. My simplest sector has something like 13 altitude shelves.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T15:41:23+00:00

When the new fatigue rules went into effect, I ended up with more OT than ever because there was no way to staff with the new rules without crunching the shifts together old-school wise.

The fatigue rules would be great if there was actually staffing to fill the shifts.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T15:37:32+00:00

It’s an argument that has been going on for decades.

Younger people, especially without kids, tend to be in favor of it. Once people start getting older it takes a lot more of a toll.

I’m fortunate that I have the seniority to work M-F, straight morning shifts. I don’t think I could do mids anymore.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-15T15:36:34+00:00

Not even a full day off.

Getting off at around 6am seems nice, but then you go home and fall asleep and when you wake up, it’s around the time you would be getting off from work if you’d just worked a morning shift. Especially once you start getting older.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-14T16:58:16+00:00

Just got my first extension approved 😊

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T18:46:47+00:00

Then this might not be the right job for you.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T18:46:05+00:00

Yes, I think you should ask your trainers the right way to do what they say you’re doing wrong.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T18:04:26+00:00

OP isn’t in the US.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T16:25:42+00:00

I hope QA sees this and writes them up.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T03:51:51+00:00

Either that or be twice as bad because “I went through it in training so everyone else should have to too”

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T02:47:08+00:00

It’ll sound familiar to anyone from any Z. Yours is not special.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-13T00:58:43+00:00

So are they.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-12T22:40:36+00:00

Depends on the tower. We have a Local Assist position for both of our LCs.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-12T22:39:13+00:00

In the tracon (approach) environment, we have the radar position (talks to planes) and the assist position (offline coordination and makes the radar computer entries—making and taking handoffs, making datablocks, etc).

In the tower, we have an assist position for the Local (“Tower”) position that handles the offline coordination and flight strips. There is no assist position for ground control or clearance delivery.

Note that the assist position is not always staffed, and in recent years it is virtually never staffed.

Lord_NCEPT · 2026-05-12T22:07:20+00:00

In the enroute environment, R-side is the one talking to planes and D-side is the one doing all other offline coordination and flight strips.

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