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NAATS Press Release: Controller Workload Rises - PRESS RELEASE - September 28, 2001 For Immediate Release Air Traffic Halts
- Controller Workload Rises New emergency Federal Air Regulations (FARs) were developed to cope with various security issues, and it was up to FSS Controllers to decipher the information and explain it to the pilots. As different categories of flight operations were released, more questions were raised ... can I fly under that category? When can I fly? Why can they fly and I can�t? "The emergency rules were like federal tax code, five accountants could give you five different interpretations." Said one controller. "This is not acceptable in air traffic. To avoid havoc in the air, the rules must be applied uniformly throughout the system." It was up to FSS controllers to be fair, consistent and firm. Changing regulations allowed some types of flights under certain flight rules, while other types remained grounded. The complexity of the system is such that a single pilot/aircraft combination can fall into several categories and may be authorized under one part of the regulation yet grounded under a different part. And all the time, military planes were diligently monitoring the skies for unauthorized traffic. Numerous pilots found themselves escorted back to earth by a flight of F16s. Even under normal circumstances, the aviation community is an intricate array of pilots, equipment and regulations, all designed and working together to make US aviation the safest system in the world. And at the forefront, providing valuable information and expertise to the pilots, are the dedicated individuals working in the nation�s Flight Service Stations. For more information on NAATS and the Air Traffic Controllers they represent, visit
www.naats.org |