Interesting ATC tidbet

[Matt Fuoco]

This is an interesting RW ATC article.  As a CFI, I would agree that ATC mistakes appear to be up.  I have noticed over the past year the number of trainees working at my local tracon seems to be way up as well.  I have personally had 2 incidents in the past month where ATC had a loss of separation while in IMC on an approach and I had to be vectored out and resequenced.

"ATC errors up 51% in 2010, but accidents remain at all-time low
Mistakes by air traffic controllers increased 51% in 2010 as the FAA seeks software upgrades for collision warning systems on more than 9,000 aircraft. Critics say the spike in ATC errors is the result of insufficient training for new employees brought in to cope with an expected wave of retirements, but FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt has stressed that commercial airline fatalities remain near an all-time low and that the U.S. has an "incredibly safe system." FAA officials also contend that the higher mistake statistics are the result of a new initiative that encourages controllers to self-report their errors without fear of reprisals. "

[Harold Rutila]

Isn't the self-reporting done through NASA? That's how pilots do it, anyway. If so, why would those be factored in with FAA-collected error statistics if they're trying to compare a year-to-year summary?

We're probably going to be seeing a lot more of these, especially when the airlines and charter companies are really seeing growth coming out of the recession. NexGen is not anywhere closer to solving any of it soon either .

[Bryan Wollenberg]

No, it's not NASA anymore.  The new system is called ATSAP.  I think the NASA reports are incorporated from what I recall, but it's a completely separate system.  Some people like it, some don't.  But regardless of what people might think, the system is actually getting things accomplished.  Safety issues that have been discussed for years and years now have a national venue, and the ATSAP Committee has some serious power to actually get things accomplished.  And they don't just deal with OE's and such.  Radio/radar coverage issues (obviously a safety concern) are a good example of other items these guys cover.

[Tom Seeley]

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