This week the Federal Aviation Administration released a study of air traffic controllers’ work schedules only after the Associated Press reported the findings in an Aug. 10 exclusive story. The AP reports that the study, which was conducted by NASA at the FAA’s request, found that nearly 2 in 10 controllers had committed significant errors in the previous year, and more than half attributed the errors to fatigue. The report also indicates that a third of controllers said they perceived fatigue to be a “high” or “extreme” safety risk.
The FAA also posted a brief online Q&A describing recent steps taken to relieve the problem of fatigue among air traffic controllers. The FAA noted that in 2012 it implemented a comprehensive Fatigue Risk Management System to manage controller fatigue.
Read the AP exclusive: Air controller study shows chronic fatigue
Read the report posted online by the FAA: NASA Controller Fatigue Assessment Report
Read the FAA Q&A: NASA Controller Fatigue Assessment Report Q&A
