O'Hare Controllers Just Plane Tired

Federal report finds air traffic controllers suffer fatigue

By MATT BARTOSIK

Updated 1:19 PM CST, Tue, Jul 28, 2009

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Goran Popovic

Airline passengers aren't the only ones who experience jet lag. According to a federal audit released Thursday, the air traffic controllers at O'Hare International Airport have too little time between shifts, a problem which contributes to fatigue and could be a safety threat.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has reported that, at least once a week, most controllers at O'Hare and two nearby Federal Aviation Administration radar facilities have rest periods of fewer than 10 hours between shifts.

According to the 21-page report, air controllers at the three facilities—which are among the busiest in the country—also have long workweeks and are pressed to work an increasing amount of overtime.

"This type of work schedule offers minimal opportunity for sleep when the time required for commuting, eating, and other necessary daily activities is taken into account," the report said.

Senator Dick Durbin had requested the evaluation after a series of near misses at O'Hare that were blamed on air traffic controller error. Evidence at the time suggested that fatigue was a prominent factor.

However, FAA spokesperson Elizabeth Isham Cory says the agency challenges some of the audit. A few months after the audit was performed (January 2008), the FAA added training on fatigue awareness.

"Certainly fatigue is a concern of ours. This is something that we're watching very, very closely," Cory said. "We have made changes already, and we continue to make changes." (AP)

Many air traffic controllers are grateful that these results have been made public.

"We have expressed our concerns about controller fatigue for several years, only to have them fall on deaf ears at the FAA," said Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

Matt Bartosik is the editor of Off the Rocks' next issue and a "between blogs" blogger.