The subject of proper rest practices
for air traffic controllers was thrust into the public
consciousness in the wake of the takeoff crash of Comair Flight
5191 last August, when it came to light only one controller was on
duty in the tower at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, KY... and
that the lone controller had worked a full shift prior to the
accident shift, with only two hours of sleep in
between.
While the National Transportation Safety Board hasn't yet ruled
on the Probable Cause of the fatal accident -- or what possible
role, if any, the controller could have had in preventing the
crash, in which the plane's flight crew lined up on the wrong
runway at LEX -- on Tuesday the agency issued the following safety
recommendations addressing concerns stemming from fatigued
controllers. Those recommendations follow below.
The National Transportation Board makes the following
recommendations:
To the Federal Aviation Administration:
Work with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to
reduce the potential for controller fatigue by revising controller
work-scheduling policies and practices to provide rest periods that
are long enough for controllers to obtain sufficient restorative
sleep and by modifying shift rotations to minimize disrupted sleep
patterns, accumulation of sleep debt, and decreased cognitive
performance. (A-07-30)
Develop a fatigue awareness and countermeasures training program
for controllers and for personnel who are involved in the
scheduling of controllers for operational duty that will address
the incidence of fatigue in the controller workforce, causes of
fatigue, effects of fatigue on controller performance and safety,
and the importance of using personal strategies to minimize
fatigue. This training should be provided in a format that promotes
retention, and recurrent training should be provided at regular
intervals. (A-07-31)
Require all air traffic controllers to complete instructor- led
initial and recurrent training in resource management skills that
will improve controller judgment, vigilance, and safety awareness.
(A-07-34)
To the National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
Work with the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the
potential for controller fatigue by revising controller
work-scheduling policies and practices to provide rest periods that
are long enough for controllers to obtain sufficient restorative
sleep and by modifying shift rotations to minimize disrupted sleep
patterns, accumulation of sleep debt, and decreased cognitive
performance. (A-07-32)
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