It's hard to believe I'm already coming up on my 4th year in the agency (FAA) and 10th year on VATSIM. Throughout my tenure, I have noticed a trend that I truly believe will never disappear; That is...culture. To paint the picture for those that are not involved in any sort of aviation profession, there is this general trend of critique, perfection, and ego. Whether you're a controller, or a pilot on this network, if you haven't already seen or experienced it, you will quickly find out that these three aspects carry over from the real world. Some may call it toxic, I call it healthy. You have to ask yourself when you sign up for a "game" as such, what am I here for? I throw this question out there because many seem to be surprised at the general culture of expectations. Now understand...this culture does differ from ARTCC to ARTCC. If you're wondering WHY I put "game" in quotations, it's because if anyone on this network is honest with you...this is not a game. This isn't Call of Duty, Fornite or Mario Kart. Any "game" that surrounds a profession such as aviation gives users one thing and one thing only...a chance to simulate REAL world concepts.
Students, controllers, please understand that for many, this is a general hobby on the weekends, but for some, this is what a lot want to live a breathe someday. You will be critiqued by your peers, so if you're not used to it...get used to it. People will strive to be perfect (Type A) so I suggest you get used to surrounding yourselves with those that want to do it right 10 times out of 10. Yes, there will be ego, because everyone wants to be the best. There will always be a few who want to lead the pack by controlling the most amount of airplanes, at the most efficient level. There will always be that pilot who wants to fly in bad weather and grease a landing and in turn, tell everyone about it because they want a sense of satisfaction. If we push one another to continue to learn and understand how the nature of this environment works, it will always continue to be a healthy experience for all involved.
Furthermore, there is one very important aspect we cannot forget...teamwork. No matter what the culture at your ARTCC may be, you're only as good as the controller next to you. Instead of berating a guy for not giving you enough room between successive departures, take a second to educate and turn the experience into a teachable moment.
Hope ya'll enjoy your week! I look forward to seeing many of you at FlightSimExpo in Vegas! Come on by Sunday afternoon at 2:30PM in the Seminar Room and hear me speak on VATSIM and the online aviation community!
DK
