Out of curiosity, what are the minimum qualifications to get an entry-level position as an ATC? It truly is hard to imagine anyone having a difficult time understanding what “plane with no gas” means.
OObomma was known to dumb-down the entry standards in the interest of darkening the rank and file of the ATC.
Well after the Reagan firing kerfuffle days.
Dems never let a chance for social engineering go by, instead of just get the best and brightest willing to take the job.
I was a USAF controller. In 20 years, I never knew anyone who didn’t know what it meant. If a pilot declared min fuel, we handled them expeditiously. If they declared emergency fuel, we just let them do whatever they wanted to do, and got everyone else out of the way.
The FAA academy, on the other hand had a HUGE washout rate. I knew a few USAF controllers, who went to the FAA academy, and as far as I know, they ALL washed out. These guys could move some sheet metal around the sky, but still washed out. Later, the FAA started taking military controllers and placing them directly into facilities. A wise move I thought.
I don’t know about the current FAA academy washout rate, since I retired in 1988. I never tried, cuz I was afraid I would wash out, even though I worked one of the world’s busiest airports (Vietnam, a nightmare experience) As far as I recall, the qualifications, were to be a high school graduate, and a US citizen.
The best controller I ever saw, was a black female Ssgt. That woman could move airplanes around the sky.