On 23 Feb 2006 12:51:27 -0800, wrote in
. com::

Larry Dighera wrote:
It seems to me, that the most equitable policy would be for individual
ATC personnel responsible for operational errors to have the added
personnel responsibility to make monetary restitution to the estates
and survivors subjected errors they committed.

That giant sucking sound you would hear would be every traffic
controller immediately retiring, quiting, or otherwise exiting.
Furthermore, there would be no job applicants under those conditions.

NOW, who ya gonna call?

Of course your opinion regarding the dearth of ATC applicants is not
backed by any credible supporting facts. So with the same underlng
evidence, I'll contend that there will still be an adiquate supply of
responsible talant to fulfill ATC positions.

Besides, no one ELSE in this country is held responsible for their
mistakes (it sometimes seems like that, anyway...)

Have you ever received a traffic citation? Did you pay the fine?

I know we treat ATCs like gods, and we do everything they tell us to,

When you're on an instrument approach in IMC heading toward Saddleback
Peak (KSNA, runway 19R), you are relying on ATC to turn you before you
reach the granite directly in your path. Your safety is almost
totally in ATC's hands. There are times that the PIC must trust his
life and those of his passengers to ATC. At these times we must do
what ATC instructs us to do to remain safe, but relying on _another_
for my wellbeing is completely counter to my desire for safety. So
ATC responsibility is crusial, but they do not face the same
consequences as those whom they control. That doesn't seem equitable.

and we pray to them to save our souls when we are stupid sometimes....

Fortunately I haven't had that experience.

but after all, doggone it, they are human. Which means that if they
make a mistake and someone gets hurt, they'll feel real bad for a long
time.

Unfortunately, feeling real bad for a long time doesn't provide the
same level of motivation that paying for their mistake would.

I used to know a former ATC guy. His lunch was pepto-bismol,
which he claimed he needed for ATC stress.

That's one of the reasons ATC personnel are so well compensated.

I don't like their union much,

NATCA seems to be primarily focused on increasing ATC employment
numbers and wages to the exclusion of providing additional training
and assuring professional behavior among their ranks.

but all the controllers I've talked to
have been real nice and helpful, even when I was in the middle of a
mistake.

Ummm..

I also observed a tower controller make a couple mistakes in a very
busy pattern. It was still up to us pilots to see the problem and take
proper action.

Or at least request clearification from ATC.