Quick Study: Air Traffic Control

THE FAA TURNS 50! The Bone-Yard Of Bone-Heads, And “50 Ways To Fire Sturgell”. A copy of this message with accompanying photographs is posted at: http://ejectsturgell.blogspot.com http://removesturgell.blogspot.com http://indictsturgell.blogspot.com http://SouthwestAirlinesAlmostKilledYou.blogspot.com “50 Ways To Fire Sturgell ‘The problem is all inside your head’, she said to me ‘The answer is easy if you take it logically I’d like to help you in your struggle to be free There must be 50 Ways To Fire Sturgell’ She said ‘It’s really not my habit to intrude Furthermore, I hope my meaning won’t be lost or misconstrued But I’ll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude There must be 50 Ways To Fire Sturgell 50 Ways To Fire Sturgell” To recap recent postings on the above-cited blogs, on Friday July 18, 2008 Quiet Rockland scooped the story that FAA temporary Acting Administrator “Bobby” Sturgell told senior aviation personnel that he had already given notice of his November-or-sooner departure from his post as failed FAA Head, and that FAA’s Ruth Leverenz would be acting in his absence. Quiet Rockland’s response? That’s Not Soon Enough. We want Bobby Sturgell lawfully and forcibly removed from office now. He could possibly hurt and even kill people if left in office for 4 more months. It is in the public interest that he take his ball and go home now. Hence this blog. Some of the items of publicist-swill spewing out of the Failed Aviation Administration (FAA) would actually be funny, but for the fact that it emanates from the habitually-death-defying turkey-vultures comprising that Tombstone Agency and the 3rd-rate publicists that seek to enable them and feed from their trough. This latest one is simply UNBELIEVABLE! Witness the State Fair-esque pomp-and-circumstance of FAA’s new “Birthday Celebration” publicity balloon issued to the aviation press, indubitably complete with office sheet-cake marking the occasion internally, and reading in relevant part: http://www.verticalmag.com/control/news/templates/?a=8225&z=6 “The FAA Turns 50! Monday, July 28, 2008 / FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is having a 50th birthday party - and you’re invited! Starting August 1, the FAA will offer reporters an exciting range of media opportunities to highlight the agency’s extraordinary achievements since 1958 in making air travel today’s fastest and safest means of mass transportation”. Of course, the most astounding part of FAA’s “Birthday Celebration” is the FAA’s own glorification of the wreckage and human agony FAA itself caused over the past 50 years. One must ask why would the FAA need a “boneyard” as a physical exhibit, if air travel is indeed the “safest means of mass transportation”. I kid you not - the following text is literally FAA-planted ghoul-text, in an aviation publication: http://www.verticalmag.com/control/news/templates/?a=8225&z=6 “Roam the ‘Boneyard’. The National Aircraft Accident Investigation School at the FAA’s Aeronautical Center has trained aerospace accident investigators since 1963. Report from the “boneyard”, where a wide variety of wreckage and aircraft/rotorcraft parts are available to examine. School instructors will be available for informational briefings and interviews. Additional details at: www.tsi.dot.gov/divisions/Aviation/default.aspx Get up close with an airport firefighting and rescue truck. Airports around the nation and the world use sophisticated,

With over 24 years of ATC experience, I have 252 days left and WILL NOT be taking any FAA bonus offered. Draconian work rules A 5-year pay freeze for veteran controllers, new controller pay bands reverted back to 1998 pay scales, while the Nation’s costs have risen, leave very little incentive to stay. So readers know, that bonus has caveats, it is broken down over time (26 pay periods), and if the FAA decides they do not need your services anymore, the agreement is terminated. In today’s FAA,

As a pilot for over 40 years, I've seen new technology introduced. This always costs more but It does make flying safer. What happens when everyone goes to the gas station at once, tries to get on the freeway at the same time, schedules 10 aircraft to depart at 0900? Technology cannot solve any of the above examples. Build another runway or another airport is the simple answer. That will cut the delay in half.

With 16+ years of experience, I am still a rookie with about two years in my new position in the radar. I can tell you that inexperience among the newer kids (AND I MEAN KIDS) has caused a few near-mid-airs and close calls. As a mid-career veteran, I see them unprepared for the traffic and 6-day weeks we've been working for the past year and a half. We are fatigued, overworked, and the FAA hierarchy does not care. When people die, they'll be after the controllers, not Bobby Sturgell or Bush

As a 20 year air traffic control veteran. I advise all my family and friends one simple thing. Don't fly. It's too dangerous now with the short staffing, fatigue and inexperience. It's just a matter of time before we have burnt bodies all over a runway caused by a mistake of these new near minimum wage replacement controllers.

As an enroute controller with 17+ years of experience, I'd like to correct one thing. Modern airplanes have GPS, and they do use it. The Bush Administration has lobbied for new technology by claiming that aircraft can't fly straight lines, but that's untrue. So the FAA's solution is to blow billions (to large companies) on technology that won't remove the real bottleneck in the system, which are the runways; only one plane land at a time no matter what kind of technology we have!