Randolph Babbitt, the administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Paul Rinaldi, the head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association presented to the senate new aviation policies and rules.
During the hearing, Senators asked about fatigue among controllers. Several high-profile incidents in which controllers were said to be asleep or distracted while on duty include a controller who fell asleep Monday at Boeing Field/King County International Airport in Seattle and two controllers who were unresponsive at Preston Smith International Airport in Lubbock, the controller who slept for five hours at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville.
The agency intends to a second controller at 26 airport towers and one other air-traffic center on overnight shifts so controllers don’t work overnight alone.
Dr. Greg Belenky of Washington State University’s Sleep and Performance Research Center suggested controllers be allowed controlled twenty minute restorative naps.
