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What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

blogs.law.harvard.edu

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Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#13

Post by kovar »

Hanscom Field is a bit smaller than DCA. A Cirrus is a bit smaller than a 737 (or whatever the planes landing at DCA were.) DCA is, oddly enough, immediately adjacent to Washington D.C. and Hanscom is hundreds of miles from D.C.

If the sleeping controllers were at Hanscom rather than DCA, this situation wouldn't have blown up nearly as far.

Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#14

Post by rw »

jnw2 wrote: post #8

http://www.avweb.com/news/sayagain/191072-1.html has a (now retired) US air traffic controller's thoughts on a fatal collision involving two of the three planes a European controller was responsible for. It suggests that not all cases of sleep deprived controllers are harmless.

Exceptional link, could stand on its own. Thanks!

Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#15

Post by bruce511 »

epochwolf wrote: post #2

It's short and it's definitely worth a read. I had no idea that there were airports without control towers.

I worked for 18 months as a fire & rescue person at an airport. While it was a real airport (terminal building, check in desks etc) it was a small regional airport, and thus we typically had only 1 or 2 scheduled movements per day.

We had one ATC at the airport (they came and went in 3 month rotations). They were in the tower most of the time monday to friday (during normal office hours) and obviously there for all scheduled flights, day or night - but equally he didn't feel the need to hang around. Plus of course toilet excursions.

We had a traffic-control radio in our office, so we could hear the movements and (on weekends for example) issue a simple phrase like "good morning echo-foxtrot, this is xxxxxx, proceed with unmanned tower approach".

Our section was obviously manned 24/7 so in theory we could hear distress calls as well, but I don't think we ever did. One helicopter made an approach over the hangar, and landed on the hard-stand (not exactly what they're supposed to do) but apparently he'd pretty much run out of fuel. (According to the pilot he didn't turn the engine off after landing - he ran out of gas.)

Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#16

Post by yread »

It might seem like controllers are not that necessary but (similarly to pilots of modern airliners) they are very important when stuff doesn't go as planned. Pilots can take over a and pull a Sullenberg, controllers can provide pilots with information on speed and height in case their instruments don't work (ground controlled approach style)

Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#18

Post by arethuza »

epochwolf wrote: post #2

It's short and it's definitely worth a read. I had no idea that there were airports without control towers.

Having a control tower doesn't mean much - on the Isle of Barra the airport does have a control tower but the runway is a beach:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STqmbc8k9rU

Re: What happens when an air traffic controller is asleep?

#20

Post by brazzy »

mrkurt wrote: post #12
epochwolf wrote: post #2

It's short and it's definitely worth a read. I had no idea that there were airports without control towers.

You'd be amazed where you're allowed to land a plane. Private grass field? Sure, but look out for rocks.

Indeed - Fraser Island off Australia has a (75 mile long) beach that is officially a public road, with the added regulation that starting and landing aircraft (which offer sightseeing trips) have right-of-way.
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