Fixing Our Foulups

There could be any number of causes for an oversight. Maybe a controllers just been plugged in too long on a busy day, getting his head kicked in by nonstop, complex traffic. Short staffing means theres no break anywhere on the horizon. Oh, and hes got to pee. Ive been that guy. Its not fun being tired, distracted, and inundated with airplanes.

tkarmer

Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Air traffic controllers are susceptible to human error due to factors like fatigue, high workload, and distractions, making perfection an unattainable goal.
The ability to quickly recognize and correct mistakes is paramount, often requiring proactive tools, techniques, and pilot cooperation to prevent errors from escalating.
Effective error prevention relies on good task management, methodical procedures, and "positive control," which involves proactively addressing potential conflicts rather than passively monitoring.
Controllers learn from their errors in complex scenarios (e.g., final approach sequencing, managing ascents/descents) to develop foresight, make quick decisions, and ensure safe recovery.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Perfection is an unattainable illusion. No one gets it right all the time, and that includes air traffic controllers. We certainly try, given the safety stakes at play in our job. Human nature, however, has other ideas.

There could be any number of causes for an oversight. Maybe a controller’s just been plugged in too long on a busy day, getting his head kicked in by nonstop, complex traffic. Short staffing means there’s no break anywhere on the horizon. Oh, and he’s got to pee. I’ve been that guy. It’s not fun being tired, distracted, and inundated with airplanes.