.avif)
DALLAS — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued new rules and guidelines to address reports of fatigue among air traffic controllers.
The new guidelines aim to lower the risk of exhaustion and burnout among controllers. According to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, the new requirements mandate that controllers take 12 hours off before midnight shifts and 10 hours off between shifts in general. These rules will be effective in 90 days.
The FAA's decision to implement these guidelines comes after commissioning a panel of fatigue experts in late 2023 to find ways to better address controller fatigue. The panel's 114-page report highlighted the impact of lack of sleep, particularly during night shifts, on safety and the potential for accidents.
.avif)
NATCA Response
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has expressed both encouragement and disappointment regarding the FAA's actions.
While they appreciate the agency's response to the issue, they are concerned that the immediate implementation of the new guidelines could lead to scheduling gaps due to an already understaffed workforce.
NATCA warns that requiring controllers to work mandatory overtime to fill these gaps would increase fatigue and render the new policy ineffective.
The featured image shows the KSLC Tower; Delta Connection (SkyWest) Embraer E175.
Find out more in our latest issue. Explore all the subscriptions plans that Airways has for you. From thrilling stories to insights into the commercial aviation industry. We are a global review of commercial flight.
Exploring Airline History Volume I
.webp)
David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.
Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!
December 2024
