Post-covid ripples through time...
Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
71–80 of 362 posts
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
ACT test scores have plummeted too. Combined with what we know about the physical brain changes that can be observed after a single mild infection, it all paints a potentially concerning relationship with COVID.
Or maybe ACT test scores have plummeted because these students have experienced 1-2 years of remote teaching, which might have been less effective than in-person school?
Per the comment thread, this doesn't have perfect explanatory power: drivers and ATC have also recorded statistically significant declines over the same time period.
In other words: remote schooling may have had a negative effect on ACT scores, but all evidence points to it not being the only (or even primary) effect.
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#73Also been an 18% increase in road accidents.
Just post pandemic recklessness?
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#74Well that was worrying to read since I flight through San Diego coming up. Why are the budgets low and why is our government running atc like a best buy durring holiday season?
So many people quit the industry during covid, you can't ramp that back up in even 5 years without major compromise.
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#75Air traffic control seems like something that should be at the top level surveyed by humans but has many layers of automated computational safety built in. I imagine there is, but the idea that the safety of a plane is up to a single person at some point is unsettling. Having existed for many decades, the entire field should be far past the point of there being even a 0.000000001% chance of hazard.
ATC makes extensive use of automation for scheduling, queuing, etc. The hard manual parts are what remain: communicating with pilots over unreliable channels, handling unpredictable scenarios and emergencies, and maintaining spatial awareness for the airport and the tower's area of control.
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#76Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#77People are seriously concerned with aircraft near misses when we let cars kill 45,000 Americans a year. Absurdity.
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#78People are seriously concerned with aircraft near misses when we let cars kill 45,000 Americans a year. Absurdity.
It’s possible to be concerned about two things?
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#79What do we think, within 5 years pilots will be talking to AI chatbots that handle air traffic?
Of all the things to use an AI chatbot for, this might be the worst one.
Re: Air traffic controllers pushed to the brink
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
Did you read the part about 10 hour days and 6 day workweeks? I wouldn't do that for $132k. Add in the fact that the FAA is about 50 years behind the times in understanding mental health, so you might lose your entire career if you are diagnosed with depression (even if it is a result of stress at work). Plus, you have to be younger than 31 to start an ATC career, and are required to retire no later than 56. So for g…
$132k is great pay. You get to retire at 56 with a nice federal retirement package, plus an extra supplement to top things up until you are eligible for social security (which you're not initially, since you get to retire so damn early). Is it a hard job? Certainly. But I'm sure a significant number of retail jobs are nearly as stressful. And the union has your back, making sure you get a decent number of decently-si…
For the responsibility they’re undertaking, I would be happy for them to get paid even more and retire at 45.