Posted on 05/07/2025 9:30:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Some air traffic controllers are on a 45-day "trauma leave" as Newark Liberty International Airport experiences ongoing staffing shortages amid the fallout from communication outages.
Under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), air traffic controllers are entitled to a 45-day Continuation of Pay (COP), or "trauma leave," for mental health conditions, like stress, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), from an identifiable work-related incident.
"Frequent equipment and telecommunications outages can be stressful for controllers," the FAA said in a statement Monday.
"Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages. While we cannot quickly replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace."
The National Air Traffic Controller’s Union (NATCA) told FOX 5 NY that some controllers at Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) were "so traumatized" after temporarily losing all communication with the aircraft under their control last Monday that they took a leave of absence.
The FAA said their short-term solution to staffing shortages and equipment issues is "slowing the rate of arrivals into the airports," which could create delays for passengers.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the flight tracking website FlightAware reported 35 delays and 85 cancellations so far today at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., chair of the Aviation Safety Caucus, told Fox News Digital it's a "very stressful job."
"They work a lot of hours, a lot of overtime. We need more of them," Langworthy said. "There's always going to be stress involved, but we have to prioritize it, and not just take it for granted."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
AMEN
UNION CONTRACTS NEED TO BE READ OVER BETTER
Landing speed 160-180 MPH
MATH: 2.666666 miles/minute
234.608 feet per second
30 seconds==7038.24==1.333 miles (I/2 mile)
30 seconds sure sound like A LOT to me in an airplane.
THAT is ALOT more territory than most of us realize.
For more perspective:
I live rural. Parcel is 630’ X 389’.
Paved road on 389 side.
Pole WINNER of 2024 Indy 500 speed ==crossing that 389 foot side in 1.13 SECONDS.
Air traffic controllers stressed they show up and have to work too trauma leave taken.
This was TRACON, or approach control, not tower.
The inbound aircraft are sequenced along the same path with 5 miles or 3 minutes separation. The outbound are on different paths and altitudes. In the event of lost communications the airplane will fly the last assigned course. After that, the cleared route. It works rather well.
Did you know we fly across the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the arctic circle without radar contact? The aircraft report their position to ATC about once per 30 minutes. There are over 3200 crossings of the Atlantic every day.
The biggest complaint, yet one of the greatest safety features, is the airspace system is run like we are still using 1950s technology yet we are using rather modern navigation systems.
EC
In the 70s, I had a VFR pattern full of tweets, when we had a commercial power and back up generator failure all at the same time. All I had, was one commercial telephone line. I was able to call the radar facility, and they made an announcement on the emergency frequencies, that since we were offline, it was an uncontrolled airport. The pilots handled it. They all made full stop landings. It was a pretty hairy situation.
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