Meanwhile, the stress between controllers and the FAA is evident at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) on Long Island, where the FAA recently counted errors occurring at six times the average rate, The New York Times reported on Saturday. NATCA says that’s because the FAA has cut back on staffing, but the FAA says it’s because it has increased supervision at the center and now errors are being caught that were previously unreported. With new oversight at the TRACON, controllers are now spending four and a half hours per shift at their screens, up from 3 hours and 39 minutes, and overtime expenses are down by $50,000 a week, the Times said.
…And FAA Counts Controllers’ Shortcomings
Key Takeaways:
- A high error rate at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) has led to significant tension between air traffic controllers and the FAA.
- NATCA attributes the increased errors to staffing cuts, while the FAA claims the rise is due to enhanced supervision catching previously unreported incidents.
- New oversight at the TRACON has resulted in controllers spending more time at their screens and a notable reduction in weekly overtime expenses.
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