America Deserves Better.

I've been looking at a few troubling stories like this that seem to indicate all is not well in FAA Land between their management and their Controllers.

These days, NATCA and FAA are at each other's throats, and for good reason. If 1/100th of what I read posted all over The Internets about working conditions at FAA facilities is true, we have a problem potentially larger then user fees.

Which scares the hell out of me, frankly. Within a month I hope to be taking delivery of the airplane of my dreams, and will embark on the flight training portion of earning my instrument rating. As I plow through the clouds inbound towards the IAF, I want a happy controller in my headset talking to me while sitting in a plush leather Manager's Chair located in a cool, pleasant cab with a fridge full of iced Perrier within arm's reach. I want soothing smooth jazz as background music, and butterflies dancing on every window sill.

Our ATC people need to want to come to work in facilities that haven't suffered from the 'Katrinization' of the FAA. If this is the agency that is charged with trying to design NextGen, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get their management house in order first. This whole thing is starting to reak, much like a plugged toilet in the basement of a TRACON.