Recent ATC incident not related to snoozing
April 19, 2011, 11:55 pm
Though many of the recent firings, suspensions and resignations in the air traffic control industry have had to do with controllers falling asleep on the job, the most recent scandal seems to have a different cause. According to AVweb, a controller and manager at a Cleveland airport have been suspended for watching a movie while on duty.
The source reports that the movie-watching may have gone unnoticed if it wasn't for a microphone being left on, according to an FAA statement.
"For a little more than three minutes, the controller's microphone was inadvertently activated, transmitting the soundtrack of the movie over the radio frequency for that airspace," the FAA says.
Air traffic controllers are not the only ones who may have difficulty fighting the temptation to use technology for alternative purposes, diverting their attention from essential tasks. Technology-based distractions have affected a number of industries, particularly commercial and civilian drivers.
Some have even expressed concerns that, as a number of pilot-based applications are created for the iPad, pilots may fall privy to distractions the devices may have and could potentially be at risk for accidents. Even without these added distractions, piloting an aircraft can be risky, and adequate pilot life insurance is a wise financial investment.
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