El espacio aéreo y los controladores aéreos en USA

Los controladores aéreos en los Estados Unidos están atravesando una situación crítica, con muchas horas de trabajo y menos personal, según un informe del diario The New York Times. 

Los controladores aéreos han reportado fatiga física y mental debido a la escasez de personal especializado. 

La Administración Federal de Aviación (FAA) ha replicado que “nunca volar ha sido tan seguro en EEUU”.

--------------------------------------------------------------

F.A.A. to Investigate Exhaustion Among Air Traffic Controllers

The federal aviation agency plans to form a panel to look into the potential risks posed by a fatigued work force, after a spate of close calls this year.

Share full article

“As far as fatigue goes, we’re taking this issue very seriously,” Michael Whitaker, the F.A.A. administrator, said at a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday.Credit...Win Mcnamee/Getty Images

By Emily Steel and Sydney Ember

Dec. 19, 2023

The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to form a panel to look into the potential risks posed by exhaustion among air traffic controllers, many of whom have been working round-the-clock schedules that have pushed them to the physical and emotional brink.

The F.A.A. expects to announce more details about the three-member panel on Wednesday, said Jeannie Shiffer, a spokeswoman for the agency.

Michael Whitaker, the F.A.A. administrator, said at a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday that “as far as fatigue goes, we’re taking this issue very seriously.”

“We’re looking at launching a group to examine fatigue among air traffic controllers in the very short term to identify if there are risks,” he said, “and if there are, we will act accordingly to mitigate those risks.”

The F.A.A. is creating the panel in the wake of a New York Times investigation this month that revealed how a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers had resulted in an exhausted and demoralized work force that was increasingly prone to making dangerous mistakes.

Air Safety in the United StatesAlaska Airlines Incident: Boeing is facing new safety questions about its 737 Max 9 jet after an Alaska Airlines plane made an emergency landing when a hole opened in its fuselage in midair.

Near Misses: A New York Times investigation found that U.S. passenger planes come dangerously close to crashing into each other far more frequently than the public knows.

Air Traffic Control Lapses: Two planes that nearly collided in Austin, Texas, could have killed 131 people. The incident was a harrowing example of America’s fraying air safety system.

Pushed to the Brink: A nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers has resulted in an exhausted and demoralized work force that is increasingly prone to making dangerous mistakes.

The Times reported that virtually all of the nation’s air traffic control sites were understaffed, forcing many controllers to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

Mr. Whitaker said on Tuesday that the F.A.A. was trying to address the staffing shortage. “We know we need more air traffic controllers,” he said. “We’re working hard to hire from a variety of sources and keep them moving through the training pipeline.”

Investigations published by The Times this year showed how the nation’s vaunted aviation safety system, while still remarkably safe, was under mounting stress. Potentially dangerous close calls have been happening, on average, multiple times a week this year. Some air traffic controllers say they fear that a deadly crash is inevitable.