What is happening to Atlanta?

[Ivan Morales 903296]

What is happening to Atlanta?

 

Last seven to eight weeks I don’t see them offering ATC services . I don’t like to fly without ATC and I love to fly Atlanta.

 

Let me know if you plan to open soon guys, please !

 

Ivan

[Thomas Mathieu 998318]

I flew out of Atlanta 2 weeks ago, they were staffed from the groud up

[Ivan Morales 903296]

I flew out of Atlanta 2 weeks ago, they were staffed from the groud up

 

Yes could be, but occ[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ionaly; look today, yesterday and the day before yesterday!

 

I only see GND or TWR, perhaps APP some times.

 

I want to figure out if they will open soon on regular basis to plan my flight out and in.

 

regards

 

Ivan

[Bruno Pinto 964946]

Ivan,

 

Just remember that this is a hobby and we (most of us) have another RW duties.

 

Cheers!

[Ricardo Sosa 979914]

We're currently going through some major changes in ZTL. Everyone, specially the staff, is working hard to get a new system going. Most of our Center and Approach controllers are actually the Instructors, so they spent most of their time training new controllers, making LOAs, and cleaning up and revising our Position Binder. Once the new system is all set and ready, we'll be back to controlling.

 

Keep in mind, that after an incident we had in the ARTCC we los a good amount of controllers, as a result, less pilots flew to ZTL since they didn't see controllers online, and as a result, less controllers controlled since they didn't see anybody online. It's all a cycle that we are working on breaking.

 

Also, I am not a Staff member at ZTL, what I'm telling you is what I know as a controller only. But, I'm sure it's pretty accurate.

[Alonso Mena Valdivia 10254]

Exactly as Ricardo said, we both are controllers there, eventually things are starting to move in atl, more certs, more new members, more controllers.... eventually we have few center certified controllers but this is about to change so keep flying atl, eventually i control a lot in twr, and working my way up.

 

No worries guys, atl is gonna be the busiest sometime in the near future

[Ryan Strad 827369]

Ivan,

 

What has really happened is Atlanta has taken away ALL the controllers solo certifications and are making them recertify. So now a lot of controllers who want to control at Atlanta are not allowed to. I used to be able to control Atlanta Center but now they won't even let me control CLT_DEL. I am very sad to see that Atlanta has done this as it is clearly hurting Atlanta. I'm glad you have noticed and I'm sure others have noticed. I hope VATUSA will do something about this.

[Jeffery Williams 849847]

As much as I appreciate the time and effort that the ZTL staff has put into making the ARTCC ultra realistic, I'm afraid that controlling there has become difficult, if not impossible, for those of us that don't have hours every week to dedicate to VATSIM. ZTL is an oustanding ARTCC for real world controllers, those who are enrolled in college ATC programs, or those that simply have a lot of free time to dedicate to the hobby. Consequently, under their current setup, the number of qualified controllers able to put forth the amount of time and effort to not only get certified but also to remain certified is going to be a somewhat limited crowd. This will, of course, result in a decrease in staffing which we have seen. Hopefully the staff will be able to work out some sort of compromise...

Edited August 6, 2008 at 09:24 PM by Guest

[ARIEL MAISONET 811274]

Ivan,

 

What has really happened is Atlanta has taken away ALL the controllers solo certifications and are making them recertify. So now a lot of controllers who want to control at Atlanta are not allowed to. I used to be able to control Atlanta Center but now they won't even let me control CLT_DEL. I am very sad to see that Atlanta has done this as it is clearly hurting Atlanta. I'm glad you have noticed and I'm sure others have noticed. I hope VATUSA will do something about this.

 

Not only that, but even old controllers like Jeffery William and Dennis Whitley (previous two former ATMs there) are rejected to control unless they recertify on Approach and Center.

 

It is very hard perhaps frustrating to somebody like Jeffery and Dennis going back to train in a place where they know as their palm hand, simply because the new ATM is a real world controller and he wants everybody to stick to what he think is the better for Atlanta. My opinion is the he think that this is the real thing and not a place to have fun.

 

This new staff is guided by Joe Caban (behind scenes) and they thinks is better to have empty skies, but perfect controllers online. Right now only ten guys are certified to run Center and those come very seldom to control unless is an event.

 

We share our thoughts (and many controllers too) tried to convince the new ATM Dan McCabe to allow old controllers to control while we were taking the training at the same time (nobody reject the changes) and he was about to accept it, but suddenly Alan Hensley were employed by Dan as TA and as soon as he got his appointment he force our certification to be dropped.

 

Is a pity since we were for 3 years (some much more) working our airspace giving service to our pilots; we have always somebody online; now Atlanta is Ghost Town and we are not allowed to give the service and trust me that old controller won’t humble to receive training from Alan Hensley; he won’t know Atlanta airspace as we do.

[Benjamin Caldwell 857129]

I have to agree with Jeff and Ryan on this one... I for one as a college student have little time and do not have the time out of the week daily to give to the type of time required to dedicate to ZTL.

[Jeffery Williams 849847]

Just to clarify.. I don't have a dog in this fight and I have no problem with the current staff members. I simply stated my humble opinion that things have probably become just a tad too complex for the average joe (caban excluded).

[Ivan Morales 903296]

WAO!!!

 

I hate to see one of the more crowded airspace going down the sewer.

 

No, I won't fly there anymore that is for sure.

 

Ivan

 

PS. Sorry to the staff I don't have anything against you, I don't even know you, is just that my feelings are hurt!

[Scott Johnston 890281]

How about instead of bitching about not being able to control at ATL or CLT, you get on and staff a minor facility. CHA, GSO, GSP, etc. Or maybe you'd rather spend the time you could be controlling, complaining. You're choice.

[Jeffery Williams 849847]

How about instead of [Mod-You kiss your mother with that mouth?] about not being able to control at ATL or CLT, you get on and staff a minor facility. CHA, GSO, GSP, etc. Or maybe you'd rather spend the time you could be controlling, complaining. You're choice.

 

I understand your point Scott, but wasn't the purpose of this thread to point out the current decrease in staffing at the higher levels of the facility?

[Scott Johnston 890281]

Yes, I realize that. But if you read this thread as an outsider, you'd probably get the idea that these guys are being kept from controlling at all. That isn't the case, just wanted to clarify.

[Stephen Sculley-Beaman]

Yes, I realize that. But if you read this thread as an outsider, you'd probably get the idea that these guys are being kept from controlling at all. That isn't the case, just wanted to clarify.

I didn't get that impression at all. Maybe tone down the defensive response? Jeff has a great point and didn't give me that idea. Pretty clear what he meant...

[Scott Johnston 890281]

What I said doesn't have anything to do with what Jeff said.

[Ryan Strad 827369]

Yes, I realize that. But if you read this thread as an outsider, you'd probably get the idea that these guys are being kept from controlling at all. That isn't the case, just wanted to clarify.

 

Scott,

 

Yes there are some guys who love to control at the smaller minor facilities and I'm sure the pilots appreciate this. However, most of us, but not all joined the Atlanta ARTCC to control at KATL.

 

Yes we can still control CHA, GSO, or GSP but last month KGSP had zero planes and KATL had 207 planes. Why would we want to sit online at an airport with no traffic now when we have been controlling at KATL for years?

[Scott Johnston 890281]

It's just a tad bit more productive than sitting around doing nothing, yes?

[Ryan Strad 827369]

It's just a tad bit more productive than sitting around doing nothing, yes?

 

Currently, I'm visiting at Oakland ARTCC until a compromise is made at Atlanta.

[Bo Gercke 845743]

How about instead of [Mod-You kiss your mother with that mouth?] about not being able to control at ATL or CLT, you get on and staff a minor facility. CHA, GSO, GSP, etc. Or maybe you'd rather spend the time you could be controlling, complaining. You're choice.

 

That's really your response to this comment? Are you serious? Gee, that'll solve the problem! Shut up, get in line, and just re-earn the certs you've already spent countless hours earning. Yeah.... That's invigorating, isn't it? Makes everyone just wanna jump in have a major pow-wow....

 

Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face...

 

Ugh.....

 

Can we get someone older than 18 or 20 running, and leading facilites? PLEASE??? Another amazing facility, flushed at the hands of goobers.

 

By the way, this takes NOTHING away from Jeff Williams who made ZTL what it once was. I cannot imagine how frustrating it is to watch a bunch of goons flush your hard work. Oh yeah.... no thanks to Dennis Whitley, either....

[Wade Williams 877539]

There are controllers controlling in Atlanta. I see them on BHM tower and APP all the time.

 

Kudos to those gentlemen for just getting to the business of controlling while they work on meeting the ARTCC requirements.

 

This situation is not uncommon in the world of VATUSA. Every ATM that implements changes which require re-certification ends up with a group that's willing to do the work and a group that's not. And thus it goes until the next ARTCC drama.

[Scott Johnston 890281]

I'm fairly sure Dan is older than 18 to 20.

 

When did I say ANYTHING about certs. NEVER. I said, it would be more productive, to spend the time controlling, instead of complaining. Did I say to give up and not try to get your certs back, no.

 

It's easy to make something say what you want it to, isn't it? Ugh...

Edited August 6, 2008 at 10:55 PM by Guest

[Ryan Strad 827369]

There are controllers controlling in Atlanta. I see them on BHM tower and APP all the time.

 

Kudos to those gentlemen for just getting to the business of controlling while they work on meeting the ARTCC requirements.

 

This situation is not uncommon in the world of VATUSA. Every ATM that implements changes which require re-certification ends up with a group that's willing to do the work and a group that's not. And thus it goes until the next ARTCC drama.

 

I've been controlling at BHM because that is the only place where I am allowed to control now. I've been trying to meet the ARTCC requirements but it is very hard to even get training from ZTL. I've been trying to get recertifed because I'd really like to control at Atlanta but it is almost impossible.

[Stephen Sculley-Beaman]

I know the feeling. Its ridiculous that an ARTCC implements certain training/certification requirements when it cannot provide adequate training in order for controllers to reach those standards in a reasonable amount of time. I think someone higher on the food chain needs to review the situation?