With Close Calls Mounting, The FAA Will Require More Rest For Air Traffic Controllers
With Close Calls Mounting, The FAA Will Require More Rest For Air Traffic Controllers
Twice a week a pilot aborts a takeoff because other jets are entering an active runway. The FAA's solution is a 10 hour break between shifts rather than 9 hours.
How long are their shifts? Maybe a ten hour break between shifts AND more rest during the shift. Rotation is as important as rest between working periods.
It seems to me that they don't have the employees on hand to handle the traffic. If 2 planes are sharing a runway that means a pilot is either aborting a takeoff or a landing. The article doesn't do a great job of relaying that the pilots are the ones aborting, the controller cleared 2 planes for the same runway. They do this twice a week on average across the US. We are talking about hundreds of people's lives. While rest is important I'm not sure it's the answer to this problem.
10 hour shifts max to answer your questions.
ATC needs a huge fucking raise. They need better working conditions, and the FAA fucking FAILING at their job of make air travel safer. Starting from just the way ATC is seriously understaffed and overworked.
ATCs should be hard restricted to 8 hour shift maximums, with a hard enforced 16 hours off. No 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's, about it. They get 8 hours of work and 16 hours of rest.
Airlines and Airport Operators alike should be required to pitch in to find and secure these professionals' stable jobs, shifts and ensure their function is at it's peak.
ATC is no joke. If you aren't clear headed and alert; you will make mistakes and that can end in tragedy. Regulations must be in place to prevent these folks from getting overworked to the point they become dangerously fatigued; much like we do with Commercial Drivers.
breaks for rest! what nexts. breaks for meals!
Going from 9 to 10 hours? No need to worry about that modafinil industrial complex yet, boys!
Doubtful that this would work. A better solution would involve having take-offs be more widely spaced in time
It won't work because they're obviously dealing with a labor shortage. There's not enough man power to control the traffic. I don't think a couple minutes here or there will solve the problem either. Perhaps putting a cap on how many flights an airport can manage based on the number of working controllers?