Trouble With Air Traffic?

November 27, 2006 (WLS) -- There have been reports of serious close calls at O'Hare recently. They come as the air traffic control system undergoes change. Some of that change has led to bitter labor relations and poses the question: Is there trouble with air traffic?

The nation's air traffic controllers are working under an imposed contract that has changed everything from pay scales to dress codes. They're angry. The FAA wants to change a system that it says needs to be run more like a business with less spent on spiraling salaries and more invested in technology. It is a testy clash of philosophies that comes as most of the controller workforce is looking at retirement.

"It was a great job in its day. It's not so great right now," said Bob Mischke, Midway air traffic controller.

The nation's air traffic controllers say their morale has seldom been lower.

"I'd say the No. 1 symptom you see walking into any air traffic control center is anger," said Ray Gibbons, Chicago TRACON air traffic controller.

ABC7 interviewed five men, all veteran Chicago-area controllers. One is retired. The others are union leaders. Many of the work rule changes that have left them embittered don't bear directly on air safety, but there are new practices they consider ominous.

"People are going over two hours on position, which just isn't safe," said Jeff Richards, Chicago Center air traffic controller.

Controllers used to go on break after two hours in front of a radar screen. That remains a mutual goal, but routinely now they'll be in front of the scope somewhat longer.

"You gotta remember in air traffic in Chicago, we're not busy all day long. When we're busy, it's important we're fresh, and we're ready to work the system coming in," said Don Miller, retired air traffic controller.

The FAA says the extended time on position is designed to be brief, to smooth and make safer the transition from one controller to another, a time when errors often occur. Veteran controllers reject that logic and say the core issue is staffing. An example they say came October 7.

Notre Dame was playing at home, which always means increased air traffic into South Bend. On that day, controllers say, one particular sector was being worked by seven controllers when in the past it had been staffed by as many as 12. The result, they say, was that air traffic had to be slowed, leading -- for a time -- to 30-minute departure delays at O'Hare. At one point, in a recording obtained by ABC7 News, a coordinator at one air traffic centers calls his counterpart to see what the problem is.

Tracon (Elgin): Hey, can we get some help on that south thing?

Chicago TMU: It's a staffing issue. They ain't got no people today. Can't get anybody in on overtime.

Tracon: Ouch. Then 2 by 15 is gonna last for the day shift?

TMU: Mmm. Could last for a while.

Tracon: Holy smokes man.

TMU: Can't open up sectors when you don't got people

The FAA insists that the delays October 7 were very minor, and further, that its control centers are always properly staffed. Some members of Congress though are challenging that. :06

"Not only is the staffing inadequate, but it's going to get more inadequate as the retirements take effect," said Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minnesota.

And that's the larger issue. Over the next 10 years, two-thirds of the nation's air traffic controllers face retirement. At the Chicago TRACON Center almost half the journeymen controllers will be eligible to retire this time next year.

"I would say, realistically, of the people eligible to retire at least a 25 percent loss of the work force from what we have -- and that would include me," said Gibbons.

And some contend the exodus will come faster given the current labor unrest. :

"The contention that more controllers will leave because of the new contract is simply not borne out by the facts," said Marion Blakey, FAA administrator.

The FAA says that of every four controllers eligible to retire, one is actually leaving, and that is a rate it can deal with. Slightly more controllers retired this year than the FAA expected, but the agency hired more than double those who left.

"We have better screening, better testing, we're finding better candidates. So we've got better candidates out there. Our numbers show that," said Tony Molinaro, FAA.

But can an influx of new controllers get the training they need when so many experienced teachers are leaving? In that question is one constant.

"We don't get to say 'Stop,' and we don't get a do-over. Safety has to be the first thing when it comes to this organization," said Bryan Zilonis, Chicago Center air traffic controller.

The FAA says controller errors nationwide this year were at their lowest level in nine years and that is testament to the safety of the system. But controller errors at O'Hare and the Chicago TRACON are up.

While no one has correlated errors to staffing, the FAA's staffing plans nationwide are being looked at by the Transportation Department's inspector general. The Independent Flight Safety Foundation says monitoring those controller retirements will be very important.

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