Air Controllers Press for Break-Time Naps
The union representing the nation’s 15,000 air-traffic controllers launched a campaign Friday seeking federal approval for some of its members to take naps during breaks, potentially setting up a clash with senior Obama administration transportation officials who oppose such a move. Leaders from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and Federal Aviation Administration officials had spent the past week jointly touring traffic-control faculties nationwide, in an effort to promote greater discipline and enhanced professionalism among controllers. A spate of recent high-profile lapses by controllers, primarily involving controllers snoozing in front of their radar screens, has put the FAA on the defensive and sparked a public and congressional furor.
On Friday, the union urged the FAA to embrace various fatigue-prevention techniques previously recommended by a government-labor study group, including the controversial concept of permitting naps during extended breaks on midnight shifts. Current rules give controllers shorter breaks during which they aren’t permitted to doze, even though they are away from their radar screens. The union said all of the recommendations were “based on established scientific research” and have been advocated for years by NASA, the military and outside experts. So-called “controlled napping” would be part of a rest period potentially lasting more than two hours, and allowing controllers to sleep and then slowly regain alertness before resuming their duties. This napping technique, particularly during overnight shifts, was spelled out in the joint government-union recommendations and had been specifically supported by several FAA offices and midlevel managers. So far, it has riled lawmakers and been publicly shunned by FAA and DOT leaders. After the union’s press release went out Friday, however, a union spokesman tried to play down the napping issue, saying, “We want to keep focus on restorative breaks” rather than extended naps and “put more emphasis on the total package.” The language appeared to represent a compromise between the full set of recommendations embraced by many union members and the political realities that have made “napping” such a controversial, emotionally charged word in this context.
According to some union members, the “restorative break” concept is an “evolution of the language” contained in the original recommendations, reflecting the union’s desire to work cooperatively with the FAA to reduce chronic fatigue. Agency officials this week talked about the importance of “restorative breaks,” allowing controllers to step away from their stations and refresh themselves in various ways. But earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA chief Randy Babbitt unequivocally rejected the notion. Mr. LaHood said the government would never pay employees to sleep. “I don’t expect to walk into a break room and see controllers napping, period,” he said in an interview, adding that the issue wasn’t up for discussion. Mr. Babbitt, however, has called for an accelerated effort to implement the rest of the study group’s recommendations. Also Friday, federal air-safety investigators released data underscoring the hazards of a previously reported slip-up by a controller last month. After a controller supervisor at a Florida facility asked a Southwest Airlines jet to check on the condition of a propeller plane that hadn’t been responding to radio calls, the jetliner ended up flying only 100 feet vertically and about 500 feet laterally from the private aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. It should have maintained at least 1,000 feet and three miles of separation.
I guess you just have to pray that your flight isn’t coming in for landing during naptime! Or else you might be hearing the following song in your head:
Dave Matthews Band – Crash Into Me
Love Dave Matthews! At least it is one of my favorites. Not a bad way to go at all!