Gag Me With A Spoon

It's bad enough that the NATCA union leadership team has found in necessary to hop in bed with the FAA over the crummy ATSAP (Air Traffic Snitch Around Program) program, but now comes this:  The FAA's own publications are whoring all over themselves to run some NATCA-centric feel good stories.  It's like the press they ran on us during contract negotiations...only different.

Are you people stupid, or new?

The timing of this agreement COULD NOT HAVE BEEN WORSE for the union, because it gives the Agency a chance to run their pasty-white (but oh, so meaty) legs all over Capitol Hill, waving their own made up press and claiming that they are just love-love-loving their relationship with NATCA.  Meanwhile, out in the field.....controllers weep as the jackboot of management oppression and neglect gets colder and tighter.  I can smell the stiching between the rubber sole and the leather uppers now. 

The FAA is doing this because they are going to make a bazillion copies of this crapola, and litter Capitol Hill with it in the days leading up the the FAA Reauthorization Bill vote, and NATCA IS GOING TO LOSE, because they will have been outplayed in the court of public and Congressional opinion.

For the record, I want everyone to know right up front that it is my fault, me and the pesky blog, and that the current team couldn't undo all the horrific damage I did during my reign of terror.  Remember?  I called Congressman Joe Knollenberg of Michigan a jackoff, when I meant to call him a freeloading jackoff.  There.  That about covers the smack-talking points they are currently working on.

But look at the FAA's lame-ass attempt at proactive spin and PR.  Scroll over the picture above and left-click once to enlarge.  By nine am today it will have been changed, but we have it here in all it's incompetent, moronic glory.  Read the first paragraph, brought to you by the gang that couldn't shoot straight, fly straight, inspect straight, or (on Capitol Hill) lie straight.

No damn WONDER we have so many delays coming into and out of Chicago!!!!

According to the VERY FIRST  PARAGRAPH of this story,  written by official Federal Aviation Administration Spokesflacks, Chicago is in MICHIGAN, for Christ's sake. 

Shit!!!  All this time the airplanes have been flying to Illinois, looking for it.

These nimrods are dumber than I thought they were.  And believe me...I thought they were plenty dumb.  In fact, if it weren't for the fact that he likes free golf and a free all expenses paid trip to Hawaii by some user group he is overseeing every now and again, I'd say they were dumber than Joe Knollenberg.

Comments

[nutts]

well pat can kiss my ass with this ATSAP, i and the other controllers i work with will advoid this program like the plage.

[ZZ-retired]

Even though the controllers are not united ,have no direction, have no plan B and are putting all their eggs in 1 basket with FAA re-authorization, I still had hope...............until now.
The timing of this agreement could not be worse. The airlines, flying public and just about everyone in aviation HATES the FAA. It was a "perfect storm". All NATCA had to do was put the finishing touches on it with a PR campaign explaining just how unsafe things are because of staffing and show the waste of taxpayer money being used for OT. Instead, Bobby and PAT are shaking hands. The FAA has played you PAT.
I don't know how the NEB could not see this coming.

[SOS]

Typical FAA Lies-Obfuscation Tactics-Ignorance-Spin

Brought to you by the Bobby and Pat show the
two weak sycophants with a PhD in Bovine Feces

If any FAA employee or union member believes within their wildest dreams that any substantive change in labor relations and FAA Management will result BEFORE the next Administration election they are stupid and clueless

Or they rode the short bus and licked the windows take
your pick

Change will only come when bodies rain from the sky
or McSame contracts the rest of the NAS and air safety
to the lowest bidder

[Ace]

I am to the point now, where I'd welcome Lockmart or Boing taking over. It can't get any dumber than it is right now. We should have been playing hardball from the moment it was clear that the DIPlomatic approach wasn't getting us anywhere. Instead, we continue to wallow, flounder, flop, plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh whattabunchabullsheeet this is !

[How stupid is it to make deals with FAA!!!]

Way to step up and take the blame for everything that is wrong John. You are a true man of honor!

Making a deal of any kind in our situation is bad enough, but puting yourself in a position to be photographed handshaking and smiling with the enemy is just plain STUPID.
Is this man Sooooo unintelligent that he didn't think this would be a PR nightmare! What's worse, Pat doesn't learn from mistakes either! I'm sure he has another photo shot opportunity planned soon. Makes me sick, and now WE have to pay for it.

If you ask me Pat is in DC to set himself up for a lobbying job...

[Just a Controller]

I'm just a bit confused. If everyone hates Pat so much, why are you letting him remain in office?

I'm in DoD now but was a loyal NATCA member for many many years and truly enjoyed the leadership of JTB. I'm still wondering how you guys managed to oust such a great leader.

What has to be done to get someone back at the helm that you can trust?

[GoingGoingGone]

Pat had a chance to bring another can of gas to the FAA's Funeral Pire and all he brought was a can of water. Hand shakes for eveybody.

[loserboy]

Working for Lockmart is starting to sound pretty sweet.

[CTIGrad]

Timing could not be worse?! SAFETY ABOVE ALL ELSE. To even think of delaying such a program because of our contract disputes would have completed destroyed our integrity and credibility.

What, you think Capital Hill is going to now think NATCA and FAA are bedtime pals because of this? Oh come on...

[you know me]

What's all the complaining about? It's called REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT...remember? Those of you who turned your collective backs on John and voted for Pat are receiving exactly what you deserve and obviously wanted. Couldn't be sweeter!

[Ace]

Hey CTIGrad, with a moniker like that, I assume you're a newbie. Here's a clue for ya: STFU You don't know what you're talking about.

[SkyHigh]

Photo op with a smiling Hanoi Jane Fonda with the North Vietnamese.... Pat Forrey with FAA....

[very old observer]

Dear CTIGrad and like minded controllers:

Maybe I can help put this in perspective. If someone broke into your home, assaulted your family, stole your money and did everything within their power to make life miserable for you, would you have a photograph taken of both of you 'shaking hands' and making nice as you prepare to go 'fishing' together?

[Dis Gusted]

The 2 CTI's I work with think the same as the guy on here. I've heard comments like "it's not so bad, it's what you make of it." "Give the FAA a chance they'll make things right" and other garbage like that. They have stated they are just happy to be employed and will do whatever the FAA wants. That's the future of Air Traffic control?

[Frustrated]

CTIGrad, you probably think that they won't keep you from getting you SCI/OSI if you turn yourself in. LOL Watch, Pat talks a good talk. Check out his weekly briefing. I bet you will still loose it and Pat will say "I tried, Sorry".

Nice try Pat. Thanks for selling us (the bargaining brothers/sisters) down the river.

[you know me]

Seems as if there is a necessity to post this at least once a week:
"YOU WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE WHATEVER YOU ARE WILLING
TO PUT UP WITH "

[M Blakie]

"For everyone talking trash to CTIgrad, let me set the record straight. F&*$ him and his opinion. I too am a CTI grad, and I am rated at my facility. I don’t know what this CTIgrad's credentials are, but he can STFU. He does not speak for the majority of us who got F#@$ed when we were told we had to get a CTI certificate. The majority of us (yes, I do speak for the majority) are pissed! We are sitting quietly, waiting for November. If in November a Dem does not win, you’ll see what many will do that are doing now, WALK! Will I? No, too old and too much invested. On top of that, I have a second job as "CTI Grad Spokesman" that I cant seem to shake. BUT, that doesn’t mean I’m not pissed and love Kool-Aid.

Recap: CTIgrad, STFU. Those who think all CTI grads all think alike, F$%# you too! If you ask me, CTIgrad is the same as the old dirty bastards that are eligible for retirements, jackoffs!"

M Blakie

[Juan]

Maybe we should send a couple of ferrets to the National office?

[Told Yaah]

Pat is the same pile of fecal material that is your local Natca rep.one day and then gets the supes job, the next. My first question is.. Why isnt Pat impeached? And why do you continue "to pay", "to play" with his ball sack?? NATCA RIP!!

[BIGAL]

OK -- You read it here first (though I DOUBT I'm the first to consider it)..... Not only will/is the FAA going to/is taking credit for a great working relationship with NATCA, and this WILL come back to bite us all in the ass...but (and here's the funny part) THE FAA WILL BLAME NATCA WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, AND THE FAA WAS NEVER NOTIFIED VIA THIS BULLSHIT ATSAP Program....They will say "Oh, but we didn't KNOW there was a problem with xxx equipment or zzz procedure, because the NATCA CONTROLLERS NEVER TOLD US like they SAID THEY WOULD !!!!!" I'm starting to think that Pat likes pain. Why else would he keep extending his hand to a tooth filled mouth of a monster?

[CTI_Grad]

To restate what I said: Our union's pride and our credibility rests SOLELY on our stance on safety. More specifically, SAFETY BEFORE ALL ELSE. If we ever start putting the NONTRACT issue before safety then we lose the only leg we have to stand on that anyone cares about. To delay the ATSAP would have been a DISASTER for us.

For all you trash-talkers: Have a big cup of STFU. I'm on YOUR side and here yet you all are throwing friendly-fire my way and making me out to be an enemy. Newsflash a$$hats: I'm no Forrey fan, I think him shaking hands with the FAA at this time was absolutely the dumbest thing he can do. I hate what the FAA brass have done to this Agency.

--You starting to get the picture yet that you attacked the wrong guy? --

I hate OSI/SCI, I'm not playing that game with the FAA. I think the ATSAP program is going to fail. I think the FAA is going to try to use it to screw with us some more.

--You want to keep pretending I'm a moron? --

All I said in my original post was the simple truth, that safety must remain our biggest priority, and the what was your response?

Idiots.

[Resigned 01/03/07]

WoW! Those morons at 800 Indp. ave are lovin' all this infighting. Way to go guys! Not.

[Retired]

CTI_Grad is correct. I seem to remember the NATCA motto..."safety above all".

Told Yahh is the same pile of shit who talks big on the blog but keeps his pie hole shut at mandatory briefing time. At the same time failing to be a member; thereby telling the faa everything is good.

Very old...If anyone broke in my home and assaulted my kids, I'd shoot them. Not really a viable plan here.

You know me...John's methods might be different, but do you think the situation wouldn't be the same if he were still the man?

How stupid...Apt name. John's stepping up and taking blame is satirical. Moron.

[max]

Sorry to offend all the clones here, but CTI_Grad is absolutely right.

[Love it.]

Anyone that uses the word "asshats" get bonus points in my book.

[CTIGrad]

Thank you guys. It takes a little backbone to defend someone being mobbed, even if it is only the internet.

I'm not mad at anyone here though because I'm just as angry with the FAA. The only difference I guess is I don't take any disagreement as a sign to start throwing buckets of sh*t ;)

[Cathy Alcorn]

I just don't get NATCA's new kill 'em with cooperation and professionalism tactics. I have to say I'm glad I'm retired because this latest display of ingratiation would have outraged me if I were still in the field, once again left holding the bag that has nothing to do whatsoever with safety. Safety at least in Washington left the building long ago. It's all about managing perceptions, greasing the resumes and playing dodge the bullet with those boys and girls allegedly in charge of the FAA.

Good luck to you folks left out in the field. I understand your pain, I'm just damn glad I don't feel it anymore.

Cathy Alcorn
Retired ATCS, 2/07 ANC

[bdatcf1]

Umm hey John. This is the VERY SAME program you had the Z-man
working on when you were Prez. I dont get it, your baby and now you sh*t all over it.

[messianicdruid]

M Blakie says, "CTIgrad is the same as the old dirty bastards that are eligible for retirements"

you little ___________. I was pushing shrimpboats around when your momma was still in kindegarten. You got no right talking to the eligible or the retired like that.

[john krause]

if any of you weasels think that any change in admisistration will change any fucking thing at all you can look my trouser-trout staight in it's ONE EYE and kiss it over and over.

You must be fucking dreaming. Vote for me, I'll set you free... those words go well with LSD and Hash-Brownies.

Get real. No fucking politician cares about you. How can you be so fucking stupid?