Asleep in the Control Tower?

I was a controller back in the 80's. Traffic is slow on 3rd shift and there is usually bare minimum coverage. Still, Reagan National, a level 5 airport, I'm sure there was at least two in the radar room, one in the tower and two on break and they rotate.

During first and second shift I would work only 4-6 hours a day. Radar, you usually work one hour on, one hour off. In the tower they would rotate every two hours.

The guy was just tired probably because he just rotated to third shift and didn't get any sleep. Not saying it's right. He just screwed up. It's not like they are overworked because controllers are definately not.

 

This a national security issue since Reagan Washington National Airport is close to the Pentagon and across the river from the Capitol and the White House. If a plane does crash into those buildings from the inattention (or lack of any attention, as the case may be) from a tired air traffic controller, then, that's something for more than just a Congressional investigation -- of which there are two right now.

This just emphasizes in the minds of people beyond the Beltway that Washington is filled with incompetent federal employees asleep at the switch who don't do their jobs. I bet this situation and the fall out that will ensue somehow gets into the 2012 campaign.


http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011/03/Airport-tower-silent-as-planes-land/45251414/1


http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/2011/03/23/the-tower-is-apparently-not-manned-washington-post/


http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/ntsb-investigating-sleeping-air-traffic-controller-at-reagan-032311