FAA Revises Air Controller Schedules

The Wall Street Journal reports:

Starting early next week, the FAA has decided to revamp work schedules for the nation's air-traffic controllers to eliminate those practices most likely to cause fatigue.

The decision comes as Federal Aviation Administration chief Randy Babbitt was informed about still another controller nodding off on duty, this time during the late-Friday-to-Saturday-morning shift at the Miami enroute control center. The controller, who wasn't identified, was suspended early Saturday, according to agency officials.

The latest controller lapse marks at least the eighth instance this year that the FAA has acknowledged one of its controllers fell asleep on duty. One controller fell asleep twice on the same shift in January, the FAA previously disclosed.

The spate of dozing controllers already has prompted the agency to beef up overnight staffing at more than two dozen airport towers and call for a nationwide drive to emphasize controller discipline and professionalism.

The head of the FAA's traffic-control organization stepped down under pressure last week.

The new work schedules, expected to give controllers shorter overnight shifts and more time to rest between day and night shifts, are expected to be developed with the cooperation of the union representing the nation's roughly 15,000 controllers.

"We are taking swift action to ensure the safety of our aviation system," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "There is no excuse for air-traffic controllers to be sleeping on the job. We will do everything we can to put an end to this."

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