I can’t see the fuss. Anyone organising a party decides who are invited and who are not.
(An old Irish joke is the poster reading “Very exclusive party! Everybody welcome!”)
Admittedly, the initial message could have been clearer.
No blame on the messager, though!
Myself would be quite keen on an informal meeting with ATC staff, but feel I’d have little common subjects to discuss with airliner pilots. Have a hard time enough already with all these high level high budget IFR flyers.
I wonder if I wear my “genuine Van Heusen Flight Instructor’s Shirt” with the epaulettes (as Paul Bertorelli does in this video)
whether I would be accepted…..
But inspired by Groucho Marx, my contribution to this thread :-)
I wouldn’t want to go to a BBQ by any organisation which specifically wanted me to be there…..
Anyone organising a party decides who are invited and who are not.
I agree. They only shouldn’t call it “Pilot & Controller” Meeting.
If that party is even half as entertaining as the EDDS TWR frequency on 30th May then we’re missing out!
I like everything about flying around EDDS except for the prices they charge us GA guys for landings, passengers, parking/hangar space, but nothing ATC can do about that :-(
Dooga wrote:
If that party is even half as entertaining as the EDDS TWR frequency on 30th May then we’re missing out!
Pray do tell us more… what happened……
Ah nothing out of the ordinary, but the guy manning the tower that day was in an excellent mood and was having a blast on the microphone. Excellent service as always in Stuttgart, plus funny bantering with anyone who was up for it (“… we are currently in a competition for the title ‘friendliest tower in Germany’”).
I would love to fly from EDDS more often, but take a pax and do one landing and you’re down 100€, not funny for a little GA pilot.
I’ve always had a blast with Stuttgart tower and approach. Closest thing to the banter you get from UK controllers.
I once had an offer from EDDS to do a full length low approach/go around, and the ATCO slotted me neatly between two A320s, one departing and one on approach. Was perfectly executed by the ATCO, perfectly safe, great fun and I have the gopro video somewhere.
I hope it continues! Love the banter!
I don’t think anyone criticised DFS or the Stuttgart ATC. I just think someone got a little übereifrig (in the UK they would have mandated hi-vis jackets for all BBQ attendees….).
Also, don’t forget the compulsory British 50 meter exclusion zone around the BBQ due to open flames, designated with approximately 200 luminous orange traffic cones. All in the name of “… ‘Elf ’n’ Safe-tea…”
Actually the last NATS ATC meeting (I have been to 2 or 3) was informal (to the extent anything at NATS can be 
) but they did tell us that anybody squawking 7600 and flying the ICAO lost comms procedure will be “shot down”, which (I asked the guy to clarify the outrageous statement and he repeated it) I thought reduced the value slightly…
