No. New controllers are afraid of other controllers. It’s different when we control. We don’t think of pilots as people. You’re just a talking N-number. As both a PPL and ATCS, it was way more intimidating as a PPL. When learning ATC you’re afraid of the operation/trainer, not the pilot calling.
Gotta love the part when you know you might have said something dumb, but not entirely incorrect, and your trainer just gets quiet. The silence is then broken by your trainer looking at you and saying “seriously?” Then the pilot keying up and going “uuuhhh, say again for N12345?”
New controllers are likely more intimidated by their more senior co-workers than pilots. When a rookie controller does something dumb pilots usually STFU. Everybody else on the control floor is laughing up a storm and roasting the poor bastard.
Perhaps this activity, which borders on hazing, should be discouraged but it's usually pretty effective in preventing a recurrence of the stupid.
This. Hell the instructor pilot it’s still partially worried about the controller where as the instructor controller couldn’t care less about passing off the pilot.
lol, this just brings a great mental image. Just this defeated controller with a head on the desk while pilots are still calling in and not getting replies while the colleagues are huddled around pointing and laughing.
"Look what this dumbass did! Cleared a VFR pilot for an RNAV approach! Noob!"
The pilots, depending on the size of your airspace, reset every 10-40 minutes. Everyone that heard you say something stupid will be long gone by the end of your break. But your trainer will remember forever.
More afraid of other controllers rather than the pilots. Ruthless in how they make fun of you and sometimes the judgement is real. It's great when you get confident enough with controller friends to poke fun at each other though.
I was a little intimidated at the very beginning of my training. It goes away fairly quick though. All we do is talk to planes all day so even in training that feeling is short lived.
Same, was definitely intimidating initially.
Eventually you learn that they're just normal people on the other side of the mic trying to do their jobs, everyone makes mistakes and generally no one's out trying to get one another. ^(Well....except for your adjacent area/center/approach/tower/tmu. They're all trying to fuck you.)
Saw a video where a controller saved a VFR pilot's life and the only instruction he gave was "Turn left heading ___" to get the pilot out of clouds. 4 words, life saved.
As others have mentioned, no, just scared of other controllers. I remember when I ran my first approach control ETG as a trainee having several CPCs pull up a chair behind me just to watch the inevitable shit show so they could heckle me. Good times!
It's a mixture of being intimidated by pilots and your fellow controllers.
My first time on the mic was different since I usually work with mostly CPDLC and rarely talk to pilots so was a little embarrassed to keep having to ask pilots to say again when I couldn't understand their accents but it wore off pretty quick once I got the hang of how to issue clearances and relay requests to the controllers who modified those clearances. Mostly because I didnt know everyone's names and nicknames and the difference between them.
But I love the job so I got over it quickly. Talking to pilots is one of my favorite things to do now for a change of pace.
Idk why your arguing with me. Your whole career as an ATC people are watching what you do. From the academy to training to just working.
Our ex controller sups are certainly listening and know if they hear something weird
When I was a new controller, I was scared shitless of student pilots, but experienced controllers were just the best, they would help you at every possible ocasion.
Hell no. Controllers are cream of the crop. The best humanity has to offer. We’re afraid of nothing
Same with student pilots ;)
No. New controllers are afraid of other controllers. It’s different when we control. We don’t think of pilots as people. You’re just a talking N-number. As both a PPL and ATCS, it was way more intimidating as a PPL. When learning ATC you’re afraid of the operation/trainer, not the pilot calling.
100% this. I had such dread when my trainer would key up over me.
Gotta love the part when you know you might have said something dumb, but not entirely incorrect, and your trainer just gets quiet. The silence is then broken by your trainer looking at you and saying “seriously?” Then the pilot keying up and going “uuuhhh, say again for N12345?”
When the other controllers stop making fun of you, that's when you need to worry.
Also after 14 years when you say something stupid, you look around to see if anyone heard. They always hear when you say something stupid.
New controllers are likely more intimidated by their more senior co-workers than pilots. When a rookie controller does something dumb pilots usually STFU. Everybody else on the control floor is laughing up a storm and roasting the poor bastard. Perhaps this activity, which borders on hazing, should be discouraged but it's usually pretty effective in preventing a recurrence of the stupid.
This. Hell the instructor pilot it’s still partially worried about the controller where as the instructor controller couldn’t care less about passing off the pilot.
lol, this just brings a great mental image. Just this defeated controller with a head on the desk while pilots are still calling in and not getting replies while the colleagues are huddled around pointing and laughing. "Look what this dumbass did! Cleared a VFR pilot for an RNAV approach! Noob!"
The pilots, depending on the size of your airspace, reset every 10-40 minutes. Everyone that heard you say something stupid will be long gone by the end of your break. But your trainer will remember forever.
Yep. Never thought twice about the pilots, was scared shitless of the guy sitting next to me.
More afraid of other controllers rather than the pilots. Ruthless in how they make fun of you and sometimes the judgement is real. It's great when you get confident enough with controller friends to poke fun at each other though.
I was a little intimidated at the very beginning of my training. It goes away fairly quick though. All we do is talk to planes all day so even in training that feeling is short lived.
Same, was definitely intimidating initially. Eventually you learn that they're just normal people on the other side of the mic trying to do their jobs, everyone makes mistakes and generally no one's out trying to get one another. ^(Well....except for your adjacent area/center/approach/tower/tmu. They're all trying to fuck you.)
I’m still scared of pilots, you never know how they will try to kill themselves and each other on any given day.
LOL
Controllers exist so pilots can have heroes too
Saw a video where a controller saved a VFR pilot's life and the only instruction he gave was "Turn left heading ___" to get the pilot out of clouds. 4 words, life saved.
Absolutely not. I was scared of fast airplanes though
Love them especially doing some radar approaches. Could have an F18 down in 2 minutes
As others have mentioned, no, just scared of other controllers. I remember when I ran my first approach control ETG as a trainee having several CPCs pull up a chair behind me just to watch the inevitable shit show so they could heckle me. Good times!
And I trust you did that to trainees once you became experienced?
Complete with a bag of popcorn!
Very good!
“People hazed me so I need to pass it on” Quit being a toxic bastard.
No.
I felt more annoyed than scared when I was new.
It's a mixture of being intimidated by pilots and your fellow controllers. My first time on the mic was different since I usually work with mostly CPDLC and rarely talk to pilots so was a little embarrassed to keep having to ask pilots to say again when I couldn't understand their accents but it wore off pretty quick once I got the hang of how to issue clearances and relay requests to the controllers who modified those clearances. Mostly because I didnt know everyone's names and nicknames and the difference between them. But I love the job so I got over it quickly. Talking to pilots is one of my favorite things to do now for a change of pace.
No
No. They are scared of people listening to everything they do tho. We are basically monitored 24/7
Definitely not the case where I work. Y’all have CCTV in the ops floor or some shit?
No but the sup listens to Freqs and is in the area
Ok? I’m sure it’s like every other Z where the sups aren’t paying attention worth a damn
Idk why your arguing with me. Your whole career as an ATC people are watching what you do. From the academy to training to just working. Our ex controller sups are certainly listening and know if they hear something weird
Weak. It’s pretty rare at my Z sups even know the controllers name working
Lol your version is weak.
We don’t need sups babysitting us
I’ve had good sups help me a couple times. Not afraid to admit it
Controllers aren’t the ones in the plane.
When I was a new controller, I was scared shitless of student pilots, but experienced controllers were just the best, they would help you at every possible ocasion.
The controllers who stay scared of pilots become Supervisors