A Rookie Air Traffic Controller’s Worst Nightmare

It wasn’t like this in the classroom.
Was structured,
was ordered,
was calm.
Modelled the airspace and the environs.
Knew JFK like the palm of my hand.

Learned about Dreamliners and Airbus,
landing patterns and their safe space.
Appreciated the impact of vortices.
Saw wind sheer and imbalance it caused.
Could differentiate between ILS categories.
Understood ALSF and TDZ.
Knew importance of VASI and LDIN but
nothing, repeat nothing, prepared me for this.

Had a Personally Conducted Tour barge
pirouetting free over Runway 3.
A double-decker crammed with old fishermen.
Two twin funnel hot air balloons, or more.
Mississippi river boats en route to landing.
A water wagon with multi-colored wings.
Numerous singletons,
a bi-plane,
a parachutist reading Roth.
Even honeymooners in boat or with case.

A Rookie Air Traffic Controller’s Worst Nightmare

Passengers dropping onto grass skirting,
clothes stained with an indelible green.
Clerks double-recording every incident for
the FAA office down in DC.
Made headline news on CNN.
Front pages on the WSJ and NYT.
Punters pontificated about this on the subway
particularly lines out to Brooklyn and Queens.

Wish I was back in the classroom.
Was structured,
was ordered,
was calm.
Modelled the airspace and the environs.
Knew theory like the palm of my hand.