Air Traffic Control Issues

[MEL_Traveller]

Sure early days.

My first reaction was WTF!?

But thinking about it more, it’s actually striking me as quite a good idea. Have to see how it plays out.

Many games these days are highly complex with multiple players and teams, requiring fast judgment, reactions, and knowing what’s going on in multiple spheres of the same game/screen. And they play for hours on end!

 

[Seat0B]

Many games these days are highly complex with multiple players and teams, requiring fast judgment, reactions, and knowing what’s going on in multiple spheres of the same game/screen. And they play for hours on end!

yes i heard on ABC radio today (so who know if it is accurate) that ATC require a 30 min break every 2 hrs - imagine telling that to a gamer "sorry mate, you've played for 2 hrs, now you must take a mandatory break!" I think some parents may wish for this precedent

 

[kamchatsky]

Whilst we are starting to look to hire gamers, someone in the government would need to:

- Open up the purse so that we can hire these games/ATC candidates;
- Reduce capacity in SYD so that the existing ATCers can train these gamers; Shift flights to WSI if necessary;
- Have a competition for these gamers for "Hi Scores" so they can score/achieve their ATC training targets in shortest amount of time;

 

[mel-world]

yes i heard on ABC radio today (so who know if it is accurate)

And why would you think it would not be accurate? I'd rather trust the ABC than some random social media post.

 

[Quickstatus]

And they play for hours on end!

And no sickies.
Unless they bored with ATC work and take sickies so they can play video games

someone in the government would need to:

That is the literally the job of Air Services Austrslia.
My only question is whether they are properly resourced by govt.

 

[Seat0B]

And why would you think it would not be accurate? I'd rather trust the ABC than some random social media post.

Well yes, I rate the ABC much higher than social media, but they still do not always get things right -for example, over the years they have consistently stuffed up military ranks, and have also made mistakes describing certain public service procurement processes that I happen to know in unfortunate levels of detail. So rather than go in guns blazing saying that ATC definitely get those breaks, I was leaving wriggle room in case it's not quite correct.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well yes, I rate the ABC much higher than social media, but they still do not always get things right -for example, over the years they have consistently stuffed up military ranks, and have also made mistakes describing certain public service procurement processes that I happen to know in unfortunate levels of detail. So rather than go in guns blazing saying that ATC definitely get those breaks, I was leaving wriggle room in case it's not quite correct.

There was some airport show I was watching where there was a camera crew in the SYD tower. A controller confirmed the 30 minute rest break and rotating duties.

 

[kamchatsky]

And no sickies.
Unless they bored with ATC work and take sickies so they can play video games

That is the literally the job of Air Services Austrslia.
My only question is whether they are properly resourced by govt.

AirServices Australia only has certain budget. Someone higher up (Federal Government) actually needs to provide more funding and provide directives on reducing SYD capacity ......

 

[Quickstatus]

but they still do not always get things right -

As illustrated by many comments here.

We can imagine the work of an ATC and make commentary around that. However, we lack the minutiae to be really informed

QUOTE="MEL_Traveller, post: 3026321, member: 4620"]
A controller confirmed the 30 minute rest break and rotating duties.
[/QUOTE]
I think they also swop seats so they are not doing the same thing all shift?.

Controllers can be
Enroute- high altitude
Approach - arrivals and departures
Tower - landing take off
Ground - local aerodrome ground movements

 

[Seat0B]

AirServices Australia only has certain budget. Someone higher up (Federal Government) actually needs to provide more funding and provide directives on reducing SYD capacity ......

AirServices Australia is not funded by the federal government. It raises revenue from industry to cover its operating costs and raises debt if needed for infrastructure. so it is AirServices that would have to decide to allocate more of its revenues to training up more air traffic controllers.

 

[markis10]

yes i heard on ABC radio today (so who know if it is accurate) that ATC require a 30 min break every 2 hrs - imagine telling that to a gamer "sorry mate, you've played for 2 hrs, now you must take a mandatory break!" I think some parents may wish for this precedent

That’s not in the EBA , 30 minutes after 5 hours https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000141.html#_Toc233209474

 

[Seat0B]

That’s not in the EBA , 30 minutes after 5 hours https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000141.html#_Toc233209474

Exactly why I said "if that is accurate" because in my experience journalists often get it wrong.

 

[Quickstatus]

AirServices Australia only has certain budget. Someone higher up (Federal Government) actually needs to provide more funding and provide directives on reducing SYD capacity ......

Air services Australia ASA is actually a self funded Govt Business Entity.
As I said before, its revenue come from industry user charges - airport fees etc
.Its capital comes from debt markets - it borrows commercially using the Comm Govt credit rating and its position as a GBE which 100% owned by the Comm govt. At the same time, any proposed increase in user charges are reviewed and approved by ACCC because they are effectively a monopoly.

At times there may be extraordinary Govt capital injection -eg pandemic assistance, and regional Airservices infrastructure improvements.

.i wonder if this is one of those situations which require extraordinary Comm Govt capital injection or alternatively deferring any planned dividend.

By the way there is a massive project called OneSky delivered by Thales - funded by ASA 57% out of industry user charges and Dept of Defence 43% . It was $1.2 B but now balloned out to $4B. OneSky is supposed to amalgamate the civilian and military airspace, modernise the related infrastructure, and transform Air traffic management over 11% of the worlds airspace.
How much is ASA revenue is soaked up with this?

I would not want the Comm Govt or a Minister who really does not know anything about anything, to be telling ASA how to do its job. Put some extra capital in and get out of the way,