25 VERDADES

1. The controller is never wrong. Even if he is, he is not.

2. When working in ATC long enough, you become a master at covering up your mistakes.

3. Pilots often act like little children who can't have their favorite toy.

4. A pilot who thinks decreases the flow of traffic.

5. Your neighbors usually think you are unemployed.

6. Sexy voices don't necessarily account for sexy pilots.

7. A good controller feels like he's getting paid a lotta money for nothing--a bad controller feels like he's totally underpaid for saving lives everyday.

8. A cockpit window offers a better overview of all airport traffic than your control tower.

9. The toughest working position in a tower is start up/clearance delivery--during runway closures! It feels like a daycare job. (See Nr. 3)

10. It never stops to amaze you what can go wrong.

11. If you go out of your way to make a flight meet his slot, the pilots usually thank each other for waiting.

12. The hardest part about your job is the drive home with so many idiots on the road who just don't see the picture.

13. Your favorite question becomes "Any reason for the delay?" The best response is "Controllers amusement" (Thanks for that one, Scott!)

14. Controllers are very responsible people-but only at work!

15. You're always the best controller working at the busiest airport.

16. The radar guys think airplanes disappear after handover.

17. Female controllers must be tough to survive in our world - or pretty.

18. Your colleagues always tease you. When they stop, something is seriously wrong with you.

19. Most controllers hate offices and paperwork--some controllers see them as a way out.

20. The last thing you can handle after a busy day is your wife talking back to you and there's no recording of who said what.

21. Sometimes you wonder where the pilots hide their "immediate take-off checklist".

22. When you're home, you don't think about work. When you do, start worrying!

23. "Runway vacated" is a very flexible term, depending on the airline.

24. The best part about nightshift is driving home when everybody is driving to work.

25. When you think you're the best--that's the time to start being careful!