Controller fatigue back to the fore
Eight acknowledged cases of air traffic controllers sleeping on the job this year have forced the US Federal Aviation Administration to reappraise its approach to controller fatigue and have claimed the scalp of a senior administration official. After several incidents were reported in early Apr-2011, Hank Krakowski – the head of the FAA’s air traffic organisation – stepped down, an almost unprecedented move. Dave Grizzle, the FAA's chief counsel, will assume the role of acting ATO chief operating officer while a permanent replacement is found.
