Air Traffic Controllers Exhausted, Overworked Under Bush’s FAA

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/06/01/air-traffic-controllers-exhausted-overworked-under-bushs-faa/

by Mike Hall, Jun 1, 2008

Summer air travel season is just getting under way, but in the nation’s control towers and radar facilities, a worsening staff shortage and the effects of fatigue with fewer air traffic controllers working longer shifts could pose a major problem, warns a new video from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).

The video, “When You Lose Controllers, You Lose Control,” asks:

…What happens when we’re exhausted and stretched to the limit? Nearly one-fifth of us have left since 2006, leaving towers dangerously short-staffed, with fewer experienced controllers being forced to work overtime. Even the National Transportation Safety Board warns the results could be catastrophic, but the FAA still won’t listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W24zo3xRhtM

The worsening staffing crisis, says NATCA, is the direct result of the FAA’s imposition of harsh work and pay rules that have driven the ranks of fully trained and certified controllers down to their lowest levels since 1992.

Since the work rules were imposed, more than 2,600 controllers have left their jobs—nearly 20 percent of the workforce and even the FAA predicts hundreds more controllers will leave before the end of the current fiscal year. The exodus likely will be even worse, according to NATCA, because the FAA has consistently underestimated the attrition rate.

With fewer controllers, those remaining are forced to work overtime hours with fewer and shorter breaks and decreased amount of time between shifts. Many are working six-day weeks.

Controller fatigue has been well-chronicled, including reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the NTSB. Just in the past few weeks controller fatigue has been cited for an increase in incidents—including cases of planes getting to close to each other in the air and on the ground—in Atlanta, Cincinnati and Indianapolis.

FULL story at link.

[MercutioATC]

1. ...and don't believe for a minute the operational error totals the FAA is feeding the public.

Remember when Bush claimed that he was the "environmental President" because emissions had been reduced 25% in his first term?\

Remember when it came to light that the number was accurate, but only because his administration had eliminated 25% of the list of chemicals considered to be pollutants?

The FAA has done the same thing.


Last year, the FAA changed the way it classifies operational errors (two planes too close). Previously, the separation minimum at enroute facilities was 5 miles laterally or 1000 feet horizontally. The new standard is 4.5 miles laterally or 900 feet horizontally. Anything between 4.5 and 5 miles or 900' and 1000' is now classified as a "proximity event" and not counted (though controllers still bear the same repercussions).

Operational errors are actually higher this year than last, but the new system allows the FAA to claim that the system is safer than ever.

[Turbineguy]

2. Not to get into a long discussion

about Ayn Rand, but this is the sort of thing she wrote about in Atlas Shrugged. Skilled people leaving and the system in danger of collapse. Under her scenario it was because what she called "looters" where running the government. "Looters" was always considered to mean progressives or those leaning toward socialism. The irony is that it's Ayn Rand's heroes, the republicans (starting with Reagan), who have precipitated this.

[jmunger]

3. It's just going to get worse

The controller pool is aging, too. Since there will be a lot of hiring in the coming years, I looked into it.

No go. I don't have 20/20 vision, so they don't want me.

[MercutioATC]

5. You don't need 20/20 vision...just vision that can be corrected to 20/20.

You DO need to be a U.S. citizen under 32 years old....and, judging by the quality of trainees we get these days, nothing else.

[Sherman A1]

4. Deja Vu All Over Again?

I think we have heard this song before and St. Ronnie was runnin' things back then. His solution worked out so well for all of us.......:sarcasm:

[MercutioATC]

6. Actually, this IS partly Reagan's doing...

He fired the controllers in 1981. Controllers are eligible to retire after 25 years.

1981 + 25 = 2006

The huge number of controllers hired in 1981-1985 to replace the fired controllers are all coming due for retirement. Usually, most stay past their eligible date but now it's actually financially beneficial to retire (working controllers get a yearly cost-of-living increase of the CPI minus 1%...retired controllers get the full CPI increase to their retirements every year). Combine that with lousy working conditions and many are retiring as soon as they're eligible.