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Return to Article: Report: FAA staffing shortages pose threat to runway safety

• 42231
  

  I am a retired controller that would be happy to return to work 2 or 3 days a week. Do you think this will ever happen?

  R Budd Posted January 25, 2008 9:06 AM
• 39271
  

  Step#1: Immediately cut all flights in/out of major US airports by at least 20%. Step#2: Aggresively recruit, train, and promote enough ATC's to do the job without forced O/T. Step#3: Revamp the FAA charter, which presently has the conflicting mandates to promote commercial aviation and regulate it!Step#4: Try to disconnect the special interest groups (airlines)from wagging the FAA dog's tail. Whew, enough for the next 20 years or so of legislation. How's that for a Christmas present wish?

  US Customs Senior Inspector (Retired) Posted December 8, 2007 9:27 AM
• 39219
  

  The FAA fired over 2,000 ATC personnel when Lockheed took over the AFSS contract in October 2005. Many of us NEEDED ATC jobs to save our retirements (I had 20.5 years in when I got fired and I lost nearly every retirement benefit. i.e. nearly all of my pension, all of my SS Supplement, and all health care benefits in retirement). The FAA simply BLOCKED us from these jobs, hiring college students ahead of hundreds of qualified AFSS applicants that the FAA supposedly had an obligation to make every reasonable effort to place.

  They BLOCKED us from these jobs, by severely limiting vacancies we could apply for, even manipulating the numbers. On many occasions, I could compete for only one position, then the FAA would pass me over, and hire two college students.

  20.5 years in government. I needed a job in an Air Traffic Control Tower. My families financial future is wiped out.

  george tuominen Posted December 7, 2007 1:38 PM
• 39213
  

  Congress made FAA independent, so it answers to no one but Congress. FAA treats its employees terribly. It has a lousy EEO record, and forget about Affirmative Employment or enlightened management. It is a "good ole white boy" network through and through.

  FAA is overdue for a shakeup.

  Charleen Posted December 7, 2007 12:06 PM
• 39179
  

  The Bush administration has put breaking the Air Traffic Controllers Union (NATCA) ahead of public safety. NOTHING will be done to fix this problem until there is an aviation disaster. Then, as usual, nobody will be held accountable.

  retired air traffic controller Posted December 7, 2007 9:21 AM
• 39151
  

  This is turning into a urgent situation, soon i would say the system will start to buckle under its own weight. The FAA exists solely for the safety of the public, its not a business. I suspect that if the FAA fails in its mission to serve the public interest, it will be subdivided into a more responsive (to congress/we the people)agency... ATO stand alone, responsible to NTSB quasi FAA hybrid.

  Archie league Posted December 6, 2007 9:48 PM
• 39129
  

  I thought FAA was the poster-child for a successful A-76 competition?

  Steve Bohrer Posted December 6, 2007 4:05 PM