NATCA Going Down in Flames

In the article that I read, the FAA said that the napping had a
detrimental affect on performance. It meant the controllers were
groggy when returning to the scope.

So maybe the FAA has their own study.

If they do, I'm unaware of it. However, length of nap was important, as
well as when (and how) they were woken up. Being woken up in some
phases of sleep is better than others.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
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Jose wrote:
In the article that I read, the FAA said that the napping had a
detrimental affect on performance. It meant the controllers were
groggy when returning to the scope.

So maybe the FAA has their own study.

If they do, I'm unaware of it. However, length of nap was important, as
well as when (and how) they were woken up. Being woken up in some
phases of sleep is better than others.

So perhaps in a on-demand facility (where a terrorist incident might
require ATC to perform a lot of functions at a moments notice) is the
wrong place to be taking a nap where you might not be at peak
proficiency if your in the wrong phase of sleep.

Brian

"bdl" wrote in message
oups.com...

So perhaps in a on-demand facility (where a terrorist incident might
require ATC to perform a lot of functions at a moments notice) is the
wrong place to be taking a nap where you might not be at peak
proficiency if your in the wrong phase of sleep.


You're describing controllers working a position. We're not talking about
them. We're talking about controllers napping while on a break so that they
may be alert when they return to work a position.

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
You're describing controllers working a position. We're not talking about
them. We're talking about controllers napping while on a break so that they
may be alert when they return to work a position.

I want them alert BEFORE they return to work a position. I want them
at a minimum to be AWAKE when they are at the facility. On duty or on
break. If they've got nothing to do they can read the controller's
manual again. Or maybe the AIM. But in your world its too much to ask
that someone be required to be awake for a given predetermined 8 hour
shift.

It's as Jay suggested. If you think this type of attitude is going to
fly with the general public much less the pilot community when you
start complaining about privatization you're going to be surprised.

Most people would expect that someone at work could be expected to stay
awake.

"bdl" wrote in message
ups.com...

I want them alert BEFORE they return to work a position.


Then you want them permitted to nap while on break.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"bdl" wrote in message
ups.com...

I want them alert BEFORE they return to work a position.


Then you want them permitted to nap while on break.

How long is the break period?

Allen

"Allen" wrote in message
...

How long is the break period?


It varies. On a night shift, when a nap would be most beneficial, it could
be several hours.

I used to trade into many night shifts when I was taking college courses.
We'd work together until the traffic died down to practically nothing,
usually about an hour into the shift which began at 10PM. Then one of us
would take a break for about three hours. On my break I'd study, my partner
would usually nap. Before the traffic would pick up, with about an hour
left in the shift, we'd be working together again.

"bdl" wrote in message
ups.com...
I want them alert BEFORE they return to work a position. I want them
at a minimum to be AWAKE when they are at the facility. On duty or on
break. If they've got nothing to do they can read the controller's
manual again. Or maybe the AIM.

I thought you wanted them *awake*... Reading the AIM is *not* conducive for
that...

So perhaps in a on-demand facility (where a terrorist incident might...

On the battlefield, this is a consideration. We are not on a
battlefield, despite what our president wants us to think.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Jose wrote:
So perhaps in a on-demand facility (where a terrorist incident might...

On the battlefield, this is a consideration. We are not on a
battlefield, despite what our president wants us to think.

They surely have a terrorist incident response plan. And part of a
plan to ground all aircraft (similar to 9/11) in the event of another
attack. One part of that plan might be that controllers on break are
required to be alert. Hence no naps.