A Visit to Prestwick

Hello Blippers! Hope your all well! :)

Today was my long awaited visit to Prestwick. It was amazing! It wasn't the actual airport we (My dad and I) went to, but a big building not that far away. It's difficult to describe if you've not been. Here is a picture from the inside, and here is a picture from outside. None of them are mine, as I wasn't allowed to take pictures.

After I had been shown around, I was in for a surprise. As you may see in the first picture, there is a couple of rows of desks at the back of the room. I got informed that I would be doing what real ATCO's do for training. I was sat in front of a radar screen and given a headset. The radar screen turned on, and a few aircraft popped up.

There was both commercial, which I would be talking to, and Military, which I wouldn't. There was a woman sitting a row behind me who was acting as the pilots, both talking to me and changing the settings of the aircraft, I.E Descending, Slowing Down, etc. Fortunately, there was a man sitting next to me telling me what to say. I was a bit nervous at first, but after a few minutes, I started to really enjoy it!

It lasted for about 20 minutes, and after it was done, my Dad told me I had done really well (he was sitting with the woman). I spoke clearly, and sounded like I knew exactly what I was doing. Apparently, I "took to it like a duck to water".

Well, I'll leave you now, I tend to go on for a while when I get excited :)

Steven :)