ATC

   I am a Air Traffic Control Specialist according to my job description.  I love my job I really do.  I have had many a job before this.  From being a sandwich artist at Subway to building aircraft at a huge industrial plant.  But every job has its down falls. The things that drive me crazy about my job are as thus. Doing ATC is not my main job.  Being in the military your main job is "do what I tell you" to do.  From filling sand bags to digging ditches that is the main job of the military.  Granted you will not always be doing that kinda stuff.  But eventually the time will come for you to do the stuff people turn down jobs because of.  But anyways.  Some of the things that drive me crazy is training new people.  Maybe its because I am quite possibly the greatest ever at my job (or so I think).  But what drives me crazy about it is their complete lack of knowledge of the local area.  They don't know our sectors, our departure procedures, our air field layout and our instrument approaches.  If that last sentence sounded like Greek then just wait.  When I try and explain the ILS procedures to some guys they look at me like I have down syndrome.  I try and explain VOR procedures I get the same treatment.  But its ok, I can handle it. Approach plates are kinda difficult to understand  But most of all what drives me crazy is people approving things with out even knowing what they are approving.  Example, a helicopter asks for a roll on landing to the primary runway and the trainee controller approves it without even knowing what they just approved.  That is the kinda stuff that can get you into some serious trouble.  But hey what so I know right?!?! Im the jerk that has to yell at someone for it.  And I am the one that gets into trouble if something bad happens.  But all in all I can deal with damn near anything that gets thrown at me.  And that is one heck of a feeling of accomplishment.  But the next time you are flying just think that its not completely the pilot who has complete control of what the plane does.  The aircraft climbs and descends, turns and avoids because of what we say....

Don't you feel safer?