Scilly Blind Controller Leading Blind Pilots?

Isles of Scilly, UK, operates often fog-shrouded St. Mary’s airport … and is seeking applicants to fulfill the position of air traffic controller … and is advertising in Braille. Yes, you do (presently) need to be able to see quite well as a requirement of the job — the position requires 20/20 vision — and yes, the “help wanted” ad is available in other written formats for Braille-challenged applicants. In fact, it is only specific wording included at the bottom of the text-based advertisement that offers the ad in other formats, including Braille — and that is just a standard postscript on such documents. Nonetheless attention drawn to the nature of the advertisement has won good-natured praise from the Royal National Institute of the blind. “We welcome the Isles of Scilly’s Council for their good practice and would hope more employers do the same,” Bill Alker told Telegraph UK on the Institute’s behalf. Keri Jones, controller of Radio Scilly, added, “The islands are always at the cutting edge of innovation, so it would certainly be something for Scilly to have the world’s first blind air traffic controller.” Something, indeed.

Isles of Scilly, UK, operates often fog-shrouded St. Mary's airport ... and is seeking applicants to fulfill the position of air traffic controller ... and is advertising in Braille. Yes, you do (presently) need to be able to see quite well as a requirement of the job -- the position requires 20/20 vision -- and yes, the "help wanted" ad is available in other written formats for Braille-challenged applicants. In fact, it is only specific wording included at the bottom of the text-based advertisement that offers the ad in other formats, including Braille -- and that is just a standard postscript on such documents. Nonetheless attention drawn to the nature of the advertisement has won good-natured praise from the Royal National Institute of the blind. "We welcome the Isles of Scilly's Council for their good practice and would hope more employers do the same," Bill Alker told Telegraph UK on the Institute's behalf. Keri Jones, controller of Radio Scilly, added, "The islands are always at the cutting edge of innovation, so it would certainly be something for Scilly to have the world's first blind air traffic controller." Something, indeed.

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