SLEEPING ON THE JOB?

Posted by Ikes Blog at 4/21/2011 4:10 PM
Categories: uncategorized
  There's much ado in the media about air traffic controllers who fell asleep at their post.  Also, the jury is still out on the pilots who missed their destination and over flew it by a huge margin claiming flight deck disagreement about company policy took their attention away from their primary responsibility, which is to FTFA.  (Explanation of this acronym available to professionals)  Who are they kidding?  Could they have simply fallen asleep and didn't have the balls to own up to it?  They're human and human nature is to CYA if you've got any reasonable option, if you can get away with it.
  Now we are in the midst of a blame game with the FAA scrambling for solutions and causes even though no actual accidents have been recorded because of unscheduled "nappy time on duty."  Do you wonder why?  Could it be that experienced pilots know how to handle something like this when they don't get the answer back from any control authority?   They can figure it out for themselves by communicating with each other and other optional sources like another controlling authority.  I know.  I've been there several times in the few weeks I have flown around the world in heavy iron as Captain.  Personally. I wouldn't feel comfortable if I knew the flight crew was asleep up front and not tending to the store if I was a passenger, but we seem to have capable flight crews in the majority so I don't get stressed if someone yawns and stretches before closing the flight deck door.
  Getting back to the topic, I heard FOX talk show host Judge Napolitano comment about the bureaucracy in our air traffic control system and it made sense, good sense.  He simply said, "take the  air traffic controller responsibility away from any government control."  He claimed that in Canada it is a private business run by businessmen.  There is competition for these jobs and certainly for the contracts to obtain them.  The result of operating outside government bureaucracy, if someone is asleep on the job...FIRE THEM!  Only in government positions is this not a ratiional solution.  Look how it works for Congress, and the Presidency.
  Beyond that logical solution let's consider a possible cause for sleeping on the job. Do not jump to one conclusion, because it may not just be for lack of sleep.  It could be that many controllers have other issues that are affected by night time jobs and shift changes and could be classed as, "medically impaired."  That is, they may be on one, or more, prescribed medications with side effects that cause drowziness.  I'm not necessarily referring to "no doze" or other non sleeping pills. I mean something as innocent as a prescription for a cold or allergy with side effects many are not aware of.  These side effects can cause drowziness.  Add to this the fact that controllers sit for long periods of time staring at a screen.  Circulation slows down, concentration is lost.  Now we have a prescription for danger beyond simply falling out of the chair, but falling off the screen where countless targets need constant attention.  Wow!  What's the solution?  Getting up and moving around will energize the blood flow and periodic dynamic muscle stress exercise ( which I have used for years on the flight deck during long flights) seems to work for me.
  Solution?  Examine thoroughly any medications a controller currently takes.  Have a routine hourly person to person check between a controller and another responsible authority either in person or by phone.  Encourage them to get up out of their seat and walk around or stretch, or have a buzzer sound at regular intervals that must be cancelled to indicate "no nappy going on."  A loud buzzer! The sound may be annoying but would be preferable to the sound of an aircraft crashing.
  Finally, get the government out of the system.  Privatize air traffic control and keep the positions competitive.  You can bet that no matter what Ray LaHood and the rest of the "experts" come up with as a solution to this growing problem of monitoring air traffric controllers, private contractors have the solution. You can bet your life...
Note: I "borrowed" some of these thoughts from my wife, the freelance writer, who also enjoys flying.

 
 

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