FAA Brings Back Familiarization trips for controllers

[Kittyhawk1048]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20/air.traffic.controllers/index.html

Good idea when will pilots come sit in dispatch? What priority will controllers have?

 

[Mr Wu]

Aaaah, quit your whining! Student pilots do the same stuff as you guys before a cross country in a 152.

 

[BigFellor]

Wu, is that your way of contributing to the thread? if it is, it sucks.. if you don't like the message, just move on.. otherwise provide some real thought to your reply.. anything else is just a waste of space..

Ironic, isn't it?

Back on topic ...

Sounds like a good idea and I agree it would be nice to see pilots in the OCC from time to time. To hell with harmony, I just want them to understand what really happens in there and they are not the only crew out flying that day and that there really IS a big picture we have to work with.

 

[SKC]

Aaaah, quit your whining! Student pilots do the same stuff as you guys before a cross country in a 152.

Eh, a student pilot doesn't have all the tools we have. Our "tools" are in the cockpit.

 

[tomgoodman]

Typical.. most pilots have no use for the dispatcher.. management even less.. the regs are the only thing keep our profession alive..

More and more, I'm seeing a disconnect between current reports about the profession and the way I remember it. It's good to be retired.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I, for one, think it's great that the controllers are getting their wings back, so to speak. I think it would be good for all of us to better understand each other's jobs...and, in the case of controllers, to see the impact of their work first-hand.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: I learn something every single time I ride on the flight deck, be it on company metal or that of another airline, that carries over into how I plan and/or react to certain situations. My personal thoughts & theories on fuel planning have evolved as a result of staring down nasty convective activity over DFW and my communication has become more concise from seeing how an undecipherable ACARS message can make the flow of an unfolding, potentially urgent situation grind to a slowdown. Additionally, a visit to Denver TRACON helped me better understand the "how" and "why" of DEN's quirks. There is no better way to hone that skill-set than to see the direct impacts upon and the results of your work.

Pilots should absolutely join in on the fun and spend a day or two in the OCC as part of captain upgrade. There should be a sit down with a dispatcher, with a System Controller/Router/SOD, with the ATC Specialist and understand the limitations, the pitfalls, and the possibilities of the system they work in. It all works best when we work together.

 

[Nindiri]

I sat in a few times with SOCC back in CVG years ago. Well worth the time. Learned quite a bit from them, and passed on some issues from the other side. And it's nice to be able to put a face with the voice on the other end of the line.

 

[dispatchguy]

Pilots should absolutely join in on the fun and spend a day or two in the OCC as part of captain upgrade.

I've known only 1 carrier (Air Wis) that did that. In fact, at AWE, crews were not welcome in SOC...

 

[UnstableAviator]

I'd love to spend a few days in dispatch watching how things are done and how desicions are reached. Conversely, I'd love a dispatcher to wait for the ablsolute worst winter/stormy day they can find for a jumpseat ride as opposed to the normal clear and a million day when they always seem to show up for a fam ride.

I appreciate our dispatchers, but I can always tell the new guys and I've been able to notice great improvement after a few months on the job.

 

[WarnerNo13]

I'd love to spend a few days in dispatch watching how things are done and how desicions are reached. Conversely, I'd love a dispatcher to wait for the ablsolute worst winter/stormy day they can find for a jumpseat ride as opposed to the normal clear and a million day when they always seem to show up for a fam ride.

I appreciate our dispatchers, but I can always tell the new guys and I've been able to notice great improvement after a few months on the job.

I don't think a few days would be necessary, rather maybe a half shift (5 hours like we do in the cockpit) to just familiarize yourself with the life of a dispatcher and the how/whys. I've alway thought it should be a part of initial for all pilots. If we can do it yearly, I don't think it would be too much to ask pilots to do FAM once.

The biggest disparity in perception I've found is that pilots have no idea how many flights we handle at once, and the extreme multitasking that takes place. Once they get in the air it's autopilot on. In dispatch there is no autopilot.