Comprehension Slowly Dawns

As the political pendulem continues to swing, time transforms the voices crying in the wilderness into prophets. And comprehension slowly dawns on the doomed.

National shortage of air traffic controllers worsening

”"We used to have over 70 controllers at Tampa International Airport that were certified professional controllers, we now have 46," said Mark Kerr, VP of National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).”

"Right now we have 22 of 46 who are eligible to retire," Kerr said. "Three more eligible in next three months so if something doesn't change pretty soon a lot of those people will probably be doing the same thing."

Orlando takes note and then Tampa. Next it will be Atlanta or New York or Peoria. The message won’t play any better no matter what the name (or size) of the town. And slowly but surely, the conscience of the country will wake up to the crisis -- We don’t have any air traffic controllers.

Then the question will be asked -- Why ? Then the next one -- What do we do now ? And then it will really start to sink in. You can’t replace experience by hiring people faster. You can’t replace experience by throwing money at the problem. You only get experience with time.

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”

We’re about to learn from experience.

Don Brown
Deccember 26, 2007