Hello Pilots and Controllers!
There's been alot of stuff going on, with the fallout from GRP2, the recent VATUSA resignations, and other stuff that I don't remember right now. Most of the time stuff like that is contained to limited-access forums and rumors; this time it's (at least a little) more out in the open. Given everything that's hapenning over there (I haven't finished reading all of it yet), and after hearing some things on the vZID TeamSpeak[8], I wanted to step up, as someone not involved in those forum threads, and say something. Of course, virtually all of you have no idea who I am! All of my connections are logged in VATSIM Statistics, but for those who are interested, here's my quick background and other "full disclosure" notes.
I'm a (virtual) Indianapolis ARTCC controller[1]. I did some flying on the network after I joined, but I could never maintain straight-and-level flight to (virtually) save my life. I started the ATC process while the Academy was still alive, but I never participated, starting for real (from basics all the way up) at vZID afterwards. Now, full disclosure: I am a mentor at vZID, and I have done a fair amount of work with vZID's FE (specifically related to our EuroScope sector file). I also make comments regarding present and in-development vZID policies. I can not say that I agree with everything that my vZID superiors[2] say, because I can't see everything they post (and the responses) but I agree with a fair amount. Two of the recently-resigned VATUSA staff members came to VATUSA from, and are now back controlling at, vZID. That's all I can think of!
Anyway, after all of those disclaimers, here's what I wanted to say: If the forum posts you are seeing make you feel scared or concerned, don't be. If the forum posts you are seeing infuriate you, let it go. If you are a pilot, and these posts make you think about leaving VATSIM, stay with the network and fly. Please don't think that ATC on the network is scary. We might get snippy when we start going down the tubes (I admit, this has happened to me before), but most of the time most of us are nice! If you are a controller and these posts make you think about leaving VATSIM, please keep controlling as much as you do now, if not more.
Personally, at least as of right now, I am not going to be changing my controlling behavior. You didn't see me online much in the last few days because I was out with a virus[3], and I'll be out for the next few days at a conference[4], so although I'm not going to be online it's not because of those forum threads. After that, though, and barring any other unforseen events, I'll be online some times next week, and I'll be at our events this weekend, as usual. I'll also be continuing to look for a time when I can have my C1 OTS.
Honestly, I am actually happy to see forum posts like those outside of the limited-access parts of the forums; rumors would've gotten out anyway.
Of course, things may change. I'm going to be looking out specifically for new policies[5] and suspicious-looking[6] resignations at the ARTCC level. I'll read them, look at reactions on the forums (which I'll most likely take with a grain of salt), talk to my vZID superiors[2] (to get better insight into the policy and it's effects), and make my decisions then.
Now I have a request that I'd like to make, and I'm really not sure how to make it, and I have absolutely no right at all to make this request, but I'm going to anyway: If you agree with what I'm saying, please do not post. Let's just keep on doing what we're doing, so eventually this post flows down the page and disappears. If you do want to post, then please at least promise to not allow this post to go off-topic or out of control. My point, buried as it is up there, is sincere, and it took some time to write. It would cut me to the quick if this thread went down the tubes.
Finally, I have something I'd like to say to those controllers who used to control, but don't do so any longer for reasons of politics[7]. You have more VATSIM controlling experience than many of the people who are here now, and yet at least some of the experience is entwined with bad memories related to politics. You have people here who remember you, and who counted you as your friends. There are many others here who have only heard your names, or maybe had seen your posts here or somewhere else, but that's it. You still seem to have at least a little of the VATSIM bug in you, so I implore you, on behalf of the people whom you have never met, to do your best to put the past and the politics behind you. Please show us that the politics does not forever corrupt those it touches; that it can be overcome. At the very least, pick up the mouse, arm the keyboard, and take to the scopes again.
That's all for now. I'm going to go and watch an episode of Top Gear before going to bed. Later!
[1] I mean I'm a controller at the virtual Indianapolis ARTCC. I wasn't saying that I was a virtual person!
[2] BTW, I chose "vZID superiors" because I can't think of any other way of saying "ZID_ADM, ZID_DATM, ZID_EC, ZID_FE, and ZID_TA". No malice or ill will was intended in the chose of phrase.)
[3] Luckily not H1N1, though I know one vZID controller who caught it, and I'm thankful that he got through it OK.
[4] The SCALE conference in Los Angeles, and at a Jonathan Coulton concert!
[5] I do not mean forum posts, I mean things announced on the VATSIM, VATNA, and/or VATUSA web site.
[6] Once again, I'm sure I chose the wrong work there.
[7] I am not specifically addressing anybody who posted in any of the other threads. When I wrote this paragraph I actually was thinking of somebody who I only talked to on the vZID TeamSpeak once, and who I'm sure doesn't read the forums.
[8] I'm sorry, I forgot who told me, but thanks very much for doing so!
