Federal Aviation Administration Can Not Keep Air Traffic Controllers Awake
- Thread starter blackpup
- Start date
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
I liken their problems to ours. Most of the teams here would rather go back to the option of 5 on 5 off, just the option, doesn't mean we would use it all the time. When I look at these pilots through the driver's eyes, I think they should allow them a "nap break" of some sort.
I think the nanny state should back off and realize that most drivers have a healthy desire for self preservation. Some people will protest they fear companies will run drivers beyond what is safe or prudent, it has happened. I think there are plenty of lawyers out there in the wild chomping at the bit for an opportunity to make trucking companies regret running drivers ragged.
jimmy
Freightdawg
Expert Expediter
Several times, I have checked back in with the controllers, just to make sure I haven't flown out of their coverage area. Sometimes they tell me that I'm the only airplane flying in that region. It has to be hard for them to stay awake when things are that slow. I usually crank up the XM to keep me awake. Either America's Trucking Network or channel 11 country works for me!
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Another problem is rotating shifts. When I was in the military, we had rotating shifts for a while. But our rotations were monthly; some people had a short turnaround and some didn't, but when you did, it was only once a month. These controllers are changing shifts far more frequently. That should stop.
Also, adding one hour to their break probably wouldn't make much of a difference. It's like when we went from 8 hour breaks to 10; adding two hours was what was meaningful. It would allow them to have a full 8 hours sleep in addition to their commute.
Rotating shifts if deadly. I worked them in the military and at the Agency for years. 6 days on, 2 off, change shifts. Falling asleep at work was common.
Sitting in a darked out room, no windows, starting at a screen, is a plan for tired.
Study after study was done, by places like Johns Hopkins when I was in. All said the same exact thing. NO rotating shifts and a nap period built in.
The British and Japanese had nap periods built into their shifts. Their error rates on mids were far lower than ours. When the Brits worked at a US site, where I worked with them, they worked our shifts and had the same error rates as we did.
I understand that LaHood has been informed of all of this research and in normal government fashion, ignoring it. He just says, no one is sleeping on my watch. What a PUTZ!
