FAAST Blast — Week of January 8 – 14, 2024
Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update
FAA Moves to Address Air Traffic Controller Fatigue
Continuing its work to improve aviation safety, the FAA tasked a panel of fatigue experts to identify new ways to address air traffic controller fatigue. The three-member panel will examine how the latest science on sleep needs and fatigue considerations could be applied to controller work requirements and scheduling. The panel will identify potential ways the FAA could better address controller fatigue and will review previous controller-fatigue research. The panel will begin its work in early January and provide a final report to the FAA about six weeks later.
Mark Rosekind, a safety and sleep/fatigue professional and former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member, will chair the panel. Other members are:
- Charles Czeisler, chief and senior physician, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, head of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory
Read more about the FAA’s safety initiatives at faa.gov/aviation-safety-call-to-action.
Recent Podcast Shares Airplane Facts
Did you know that airplanes have two black boxes, and they are actually orange? And that one of the tools used to fix an airplane’s auxiliary power unit is referred to as a fishing rod? This recent podcast from the FAA’s The Air Up There presents some fascinating airplane facts from Max, an aircraft mechanic who hosts social media videos that cleverly blends airplane facts with fantasy fiction. Max also shares what it takes to be an aircraft mechanic, a trade skill career that offer unique hands-on experiences, excellent compensation, and plenty of job prospects.
Check out this episode, “Airplane Facts with Max” and previous podcasts here: https://www.faa.gov/podcasts/the_air_up_there/airplane-facts-max.
Understanding the Compliance Program
Nearly 10 years after its initiation, the FAA is continuing to advance the Compliance Program to improve the GA safety record. This vital program has aided in mitigating safety hazards, operational risks, and systemic issues, but there are still some in the GA community who are unfamiliar with it. Learn more about the important elements of the Compliance Program, including what a just culture is, the different types of compliance actions, and the decision process the FAA uses for implementing those actions in the article “Understanding the Compliance Program…One Bite at a Time!” at medium.com/faa/understanding-the-compliance-program-1499557046b6 in the Jan/Feb 2024 issue of the FAA Safety Briefing. See the entire Compliance Program themed issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.
Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors: www.faa.gov/safety_briefing
Address questions or comments to: [email protected]
Follow us on X formerly known as Twitter): @FAASafetyBrief or https://twitter.com/FAASafetyBrief