And the airlines thought, "Maybe we should have a dude that sits around and makes the pilots share the runways. Kind of a crossing guard... but for airplanes." And they called it an Air Traffic Controller.
Job Description for:"Air Traffic Controllers" (stick with me the relevance will become clear in a moment... clear.... *snerk*)
Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
And they saw that it was good, and they said that it was good, and it was good.
And then this news item
Air Traffic Controller Wanted... Application Available in Braille
You read that correctly. St. Mary's, a little wee British airport, is putting out applications for the position of AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER in Braille. Now I'm all for equal opportunity BUT BUT BUT BUT BUTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!! Does or does not VISION seem to be a key component in the aforementioned job description? Wouldn't this be like advertising for a new K-9 officer and saying "Dog allergies not an issue" or advertising for a nanny with the addendum "Aversion to children, not a problem"???????? Seriously WTF???? If I'm 35,000 feet in the air, I want the person telling the pilot where to put the plane when it touches the ground to be able to SEE the radar screen.
And in similar but hopefully unrelated news Second Near Collision at JFK Prompts Changes
Please oh please oh please don't let this become a trend.
Just say no to Blind Air Traffic Controllers.
Because I don't want my next trip to end like this.
Or like this...
And hey... let's be careful out there!
5 comments:
I actually applied for a job as an Air Traffic Controller back in the mid '70's. At the time I was attending CETA (http://tinyurl.com/5dfwnq)classes to get my GED and was a die hard stoner.
The job was described to me as being like a game of 3 dimensional chess, but if you make a wrong move, hundreds of people die.
INHALE...HOLD...HOLD...exhale...
cool, man. sign me up.
Something in their screening process weeded me out.
Good call.
The job I actually wound up getting was as a janitor at a YMCA sweeping and buffing linoleum floors.
Hundreds of people DID NOT die.
Again, good call.
Something "weeded" you out. *snerk* Nice one!!!!! Thanks for showing up XO, as always, a pleasure. :D
The bottom photo had nothing to do with ATC. It was pilot error. (Landed to long on a short runway during a blizzard) Just so you know. :)
I agree though an Air traffic controller that doesn't see is insane!
Should have known I couldn't put one over on you T&A. ;)
I googled "airplane crash" not "ATC error" I just wanted some funky pictures for my post.
sorry for the inaccuracy. and thanks for the correction. :)
While we're at it the centre photo is a mirror image...
I wonder if there's braille radar screens... "Whoops! That was close... I'll feel that again!"
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