Some will win, some will lose...

...some were born to sing the blues.

These lyrics from Journey's Don't Stop Believing are going to prove true for all of the government agencies and for all of the people that are affected by the sequester cuts.

After the week of delays that resulted from the FAA cuts that caused air traffic controllers to be furloughed, our Congress has instructed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to find the money someplace else. So here's the deal in a nut shell. The FAA cuts it programs back as far as it can and still needs to furlough ATC one day per pay period (original talks were one day per week). They've cut back training (for new hires in the system), placed a freeze on hiring (in spite of nearly half of the current controller workforce being eligible to retire), and scaled back on the upgrades to the National Airspace System (NAS).

The short term impact (delays) is felt immediately but isn't even the real danger in the "across the board" cuts of sequestration. The long term consequences will have a far greater impact. But to take care of the immediate pain, Congress has instructed the DOT to find the money (from other areas) to put the controllers back to work. One Congressman said that the bill is unnecessary because the DOT already had that authority. I say it's unnecessary because Congress has the authority and responsibility to fund the FAA.

And I wonder--where are they getting the money? Are other programs being gutted (think other transportation programs)? Are other employees being laid off?

This band-aid fix might address the immediate pain, but it really doesn't do anything to address the irresponsibility of "across the board" cuts and non-management of our nation's funds or to address the gradual replacement of an aging workforce. If a third of the eligible controllers retired, the impact would be far greater than the 10% furlough that we've been facing; but we're still in a hiring freeze and the Academy is still shut down for training.

Sure, I want to go back to work. But where is the outrage over the other programs that are being cut? Is Congress only going to address the cuts that create massive social and corporate outrage? And what of the bogus fix that tells the DOT to rob one of the other agencies to keep air traffic on the job? What can you do with a Congress that refuses to govern and with an electorate that keeps putting them back in office?

AARRRRRGGGGHHH!!!

That's it for today's rant.
(Ugly John is wanting out.)

John

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Politics: As Usual

Ugh!

Politics!

What ever happened to government? Has our entire legislature gone crazy? In fourteen days the sequestration deadline (that they imposed on themselves and then delayed until March 1) will go into effect. To make sure that the whole country knows just how serious they are about solving the budget problems we face, Congress is taking a ten day recess!

If they were grade schoolers that hadn't completed their work, the teacher would take their recess away and make them complete their work first. If they were responsible adults (instead of the entitlement minded brats that they always rail against) they would stay without being told that this needs to get handled before anybody takes a break.

The across the board cuts will affect everybody in varying ways. The following is from Politico's summary on its effect on transportation:

SECRETARY SOUNDS SEQUESTER SIREN: Senate Appropriations Democrats joined their House counterparts in raising a warning flag on the sequester’s aviation impacts, as the upper chamber committee posted a letter (http://1.usa.gov/Z0XszQ) from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood explaining the tangible impacts of the nearly $1 billion in automatic transport cuts the sequester would serve up. His chief worry is that thousands of air traffic controllers would face furloughs, causing a reduction in air traffic that threatens to have tangible effects on Americans’ everyday travels. “The result will be felt across the country, as the volume of travel must be decreased. Sequestration could slow air traffic levels in major cities, which will result in delays and disruptions across the country during the critical summer travel season,” LaHood wrote.

But don't worry, "safety will not be compromised."
The FAA isn't waiting to start waving that tired old flag.

I know and trust my fellow air traffic controllers to be doing what we do every day. But I also know that the industry will push the limits of balancing reduction in workforce and maintaining as much volume as possible to the limits.

I also expect each government agency to follow the irresponsible leadership of Congress by making "across the board" cuts. That is the simplest (not the safest or best) way to solve the less money problem. What that means is that we'll still have money in the budget for new office furniture (that we'll have to spend or lose) but won't be able to move it to the pot that pays controller salaries where it is really needed. Instead of looking for ways to cut waste, we'll just cut everything. Instead of prioritizing our spending needs, we'll treat everything as equal. We'll just follow the lead of our Congress.

Of course, following the lead of Congress might mean that when it's critical to be on the job, separating airplanes...

...it will be time for recess.

I can promise you, the Federal employees that provide safe service for the flying public have a far better work ethic than the legislators that represent them. We'll be on the job every day that they'll let us...

John <><

By the way, you can help. Go to this link, type in your zip code at the bottom and then follow the instructions. A letter will be generated and sent to your legislators urging them to deal with the issues and avoid sequestration.
Thanks.

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Growing Old...er

I'm not old...right? Just older...right?
Whatever!
Rats! When did that happen?

Before the end of summer, I'm going to be the "Old man" of the facility. The new supervisor that has recently arrived at SGF was born the year I was a senior in high school. The one that arrived last year, after that!

I used to respond to people that addressed me as "Mr. Hill" with "I'm John. Mr. Hill is my dad."
Now I'm starting to realize that I AM Mr. Hill!

With the erratic hiring practices of the FAA, the controller workforce is nearly divided into two groups--one that is eligible to retire and one that averages five years or less experience with only a few that fall in between the two. Because I came into the controller work force at the age cut off, I am pretty far down the seniority list. I think they should give seniority points for age, too!

In any case, I am now older than the parents of most of the new kids coming into the controller work force!

Sacre bleu!

John <><

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Giving Thanks

Since the beginning of the month, many of my Facebook friends have been posting some of the many things that they have to be thankful for--one each day.

I didn't take me long to decide that this was one of the many Facebook trends that I would choose not to participate in. It's not that I don't have much to give thanks for; I just don't like to conform to the crowds and I figured that I'd mess up and miss somewhere along the way. Maybe it's the easy way out to write a single post and name 30 things that I have and am extremely grateful for.

1. Not only am I grateful for my God, I am grateful to my God. While I can't imagine why, I truly believe that I have found favor in His eyes and He has blessed me beyond what I can imagine and far, far greater than what I could possibly deserve. While there are many that might say the following things are merely coincidence, I choose to believe that they are the abundant blessings of a mighty God. Would He still be my God if I lived in poverty? If I was homeless or unemployed? If I was sick or in poor health? Yes, He would. The blessing of eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son is more than I could ever earn or deserve. Even the gift of my life, my ministry, my love, could never repay my God for what He has done for me. I am thankful for The Gift.

2. Chris. A life long blessing. We have spent most of our lives together. We laugh together--a lot. We are very different people. She tends to stay in the background; I'm generally in the middle of things. She is more organized; me--not so much. She is the saver; I am the spender. She knows the artist and year for most popular songs from the 60s until today; I surprise her if I know that it was Michael Jackson that recorded "Beat It." She is my friend, my partner, my wife. For more than thirty years, I have thought of her, spoken to her, and loved her--every day. I can't begin to imagine what life would have been like without her. She is the best part of us.

Together, Chris and I have raised two incredible kids.

3. Aaron. I miss him. Oh, I talk to him often and share texts or tweets, too. But I miss him. I miss going to a ballgame or out to watch a UFC Fight night. I miss beating him in a game of Scrabble (and wouldn't even mind the occasional loss just to be able to play a game). I am very proud of the man that he has become and is becoming. I think that he has a wonderful wife and I miss her, too. I am disappointed that he married a Cub fan, but it seems to be her only glaring fault so we have gladly welcomed her into the family and are praying for her conversion. Jenny and Aaron just seem to belong together. I am looking forward to seeing them over the Christmas holidays.

4. Hannah. My very independent daughter. She is a great young woman! I remember the day I took the training wheels off of her bicycle. We didn't see her for the rest of the day (except for the occasional ride past the house). We lived on a 1/4 mile long cul de sac with only ten homes. The neighborhood kids pretty much spent the day outside moving from one house to the next. At the end of the day, I remember telling Chris, "When she gets her driver's license, we'll never see her!" It's pretty much turned out that way. Hannah has school planned out to graduate a semester early. She is working and earning scholarships to minimize her post-graduation debt. She is outspoken, hates prejudice, has little tolerance for incompetence but is as loyal as they come to her closest friends. I'm looking forward to watching her as she continues to mature. I wish there were more days to share a cup of coffee with her. I miss those days during the school year and am grateful that she's planning on spending the summer at home.

5. Jenny. I couldn't have picked a better daughter-in-law. She loves my son and he loves her. She is smart, hard working and pretty, too. I remember one of Hannah's classmates telling Aaron, "You're so lucky. Your girlfriend is smart and good looking!" Jenny is Aaron's partner in ministry and is looking forward to being a pastor's wife. Each time that we get to see her and hear of her work and career as a young engineer, I am so proud of her. She has become more assertive and is making her way in the world.  I just wished that they lived closer.

6. Mom and Dad. I could put this as two separate things, but the truth is that they belong together. They are "Mom and Dad" not "Mom" and "Dad." To family, they are "Jerry and Bebe" (that's two syllables -- short e sound -- be be). I have no idea how they managed to raise six kids that are all pretty fantastic people. Since I've written about us before, I won't go on and on again. But before the rest of my family, "Mom and Dad" rate a top spot in the thankful for these things list.

7. The rest of the Hill Clan. I could finish out the thirty things by naming everybody one at a time, but I won't. I won't even go on and on about how great my family really is. (I actually doubt that many have stayed to read this far). I'll just direct you to a previous post if you want to know about us.

8. My church family. Hopedale Baptist Church. I love this place. God truly answered our prayers when we asked Him to direct us to a church that would become our home. We prayed for a place that would love our kids and would be a place that our kids would want to be...it was. We prayed for a place that would minister to us and provide a place where we could minister to others...it has been that. We prayed for a place where we would make close Christian friends that we could share our lives with--both in church and away from the church...and Hopedale has done that, too.

9. My ministry call. I really have a hard time believing that I get to do something as fun as magic and call it ministry. It seems like ministry should be harder and require greater sacrifice. I know that sometimes it is long hours on the road without a lot of sleep. I know that it takes time away from my family and often cost in other ways, as well. But I cannot even begin to describe the high that comes from being a witness to somebody giving their life to Jesus. Though I've never kept a count, I know that over the past decade or so, I have witnessed more than a thousand souls come to know Jesus as their Savior! After a night like last Sunday when five college student made professions of faith in Jesus, one doesn't need a 5-hour energy shot to make it home at 1am; the energy and excitement of the evening is enough to get me home and pumped up for the next outing.

10. ATC. What a blessing my career has been. It has provided for my family quite well. It allowed us to choose to have Chris be a stay at home mom. I know that not everybody has that choice. And I know that not everybody that has the choice, chooses that option. I'm glad that we did. Chris is a great mom. While we never home schooled our kids, both Aaron and Hannah were reading and doing basic math long before they were in school. Through NATCA, I have met and made friends with a very diverse group of people from around the country. In spite of the things that you have heard in the press, trust me--these are the people that you want guiding your flights. They are the best in the world at what we do.

At just 10, I can see that this is a long post. I'm going to leave it at ten for now and post another 10 in a few days. As a bonus, I'll leave you a link for an article that will comfort you as you travel over the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving!
John <><

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What I Like About ... Work

In the past I have written about negativity and how it drains me of positive energy.  I have mentioned that I sometimes go to great lengths to avoid negative people so that I can stay positive.  Recently, I've read that some of my Facebook friends have started deleting friends that regularly post negative comments or statuses.

To counter some of the negatives that I encounter on a daily basis, I've decided to write a series of What I Like About ... posts. I'll cover a number of things like work, home, family, friends, church, community, etc.  I invite your to share your likes in the comments section as they relate to the topic of the day.  Please keep in mind, this is an exercise in emphasizing the positive so negative comments won't be posted here and will be deleted from Facebook.

What I Like About ...
Work:

I like my job.  I've had to work for a living before (lumber yard, aluminum factory, retail sales, insurance sales). This is enjoyable enough that it's almost like not working.  For those that don't know me well, I am an air traffic controller and a proud member of the National Air Traffic Controller's Association (NATCA), the union representing controllers and many other aviation related government employees. I work in an up/down facility which means that some days I work in the tower and some days I work in the radar room. Most days, if given the choice, I'd prefer to be in the radar room. However, the tower is generally a good day, too.  There aren't too many jobs that you can get into trouble from NOT staring out of the windows! It's a little over-simplified to say that I get paid to look out the windows and watch the airplanes take off and land, but I do kind of get paid to watch airplanes take off and land.

Getting used to working with a bunch of ATCers is a bit of a trick. We all have extreme egos and believe that our way of doing things is the best way. If I thought that somebody else had a better way, I'd do it that way. While there are certainly stronger players and weaker players, as a whole the US air traffic control system is a sort of dream team. From coast to coast, we guide you safely to your destination -- day after day, every day. There isn't a way to describe the feeling you have after working a busy session.  Sometimes you're helping somebody else; sometimes you're the one being helped. The goal is to get you to your destination in a safe and expeditious manner -- every time.

At a time when government employees are being looked at as a liability instead of an asset, it can be difficult to keep a positive attitude and keep doing the job that we do at the level that we've always done it.  The flying public is fortunate that we take such immense pride in our work that we cannot do less than our best each and every time that we plug in to a position.

It's true -- I get paid well to do my job. But then, you really don't want the lowest bidder to take over a system that should be more about safety than about profit, do you?

ATC is a good gig. Like most careers, it's not for everybody.  The schedule can be difficult on family events and normal activities--we're open 24/7. I've worked a few holidays and missed out on things that other parents didn't have to worry about missing.  It's all a part of the package.

I've been told that I have a very important job. I usually respond that my mechanic has an important job. If I can't get to work, I can't do my job.  It's just my way to keep things in perspective.

In spite of the frustrations that go along with working for the government (and the cover your butt and pass the buck style of management that is the FAA), I feel blessed to have been given the opportunities that this career has afforded me.  Through serving on two different national standing committees with NATCA, I have met controllers and made friends from across the country. We (controllers) are passionate about our jobs, our families, our union, our playtime, ...pretty much everything we do.

For the past 19 years, 8 months and 27 days, it's been a fun career.

John<><

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No Napping on My Watch!

Tuesday of this week will be the day for my annual trip to the "sleep lab" for the crazy Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT).

If you haven't read about this crazy test in the past (and don't feel like reading it now), I'll give you the short version.

The test is designed to see if you can stay awake in conditions that you would normally set up if you were trying to go to sleep.  They wire you up so that they can monitor your brainwaves and know if you are sleeping...even for just seconds.  Then they have you get into a reclined hospital bed, turn out the lights, tell you not to move around too much and expect you to stay awake ... for FORTY minutes!  This test is repeated three times in an eight hour period.  Between tests, you can do pretty much anything you want to do--except sleep.

During the day, you get no caffeine or other stimulants and have to take a blood test that screens for such stimulants.  According to the test standards, three consecutive thirty second periods of sleep is a fail.  According to our non-expert flight surgeon, any sleep period is a fail. But like I said, he is a non-expert in the field.

My favorite line from the above article is this:

  "Results show that from 40% to 59% of people with normal sleep stay awake for the entire 40 minutes of all four trials."


Are you kidding me? Doesn't that mean that 41% to 60% of people with normal sleep don't stay awake for the entire 40 minutes of all four trials?  It doesn't make any sense to me that you would choose to use a test that half of the people with normal sleep habits would fail to determine if I'm getting enough restful sleep with the CPAP treatment for sleep apnea. 


The regional flight surgeon could take a letter from my sleep doctor (the expert in the field) and accompanying medical records to show that my sleep apnea is being effectively treated and forgo the MWT.  However, it seems to be his mission in life to keep air traffic controllers from being able to do their jobs or, at the very least, being as big of a pain in the butt as he can possibly be.  The test will cost me a day of leave and my deductible and co-pay from my insurance. It will cost my insurance company around $1000.  Fortunately, this will be the last one that I have to pass. I could continue to work for awhile should I desire to and be able to keep my medical certification. However, this year's physical will take me to my retirement eligibility date.


I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight and tomorrow night and be very well rested for Tuesday.  I'll be on Facebook in between test times and counting on my friends to help me out as you have in the past.


Sleep well, my friends. 


John <><

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Pardon Me While I Yawn ...

Yeah, yeah, I know it's been a little while since I've posted. I've been keeping a low profile; trying to stay under the radar, so to speak. With all of the negative press about sleeping air traffic controllers, I thought that would be the best course of action.

Unfortunately, the way things are going, I'd have to stay hidden from public view for the unforeseeable future.  I have to say that ATC is a pretty good gig but for the first time in nearly 20 years I'm a little bit embarrassed by the actions of a few of my fellow ATCers.

And even more embarrassed by the chest puffing, do-nothing-about-the-problem FAA and Transportation Secretary LaHood.  So far, the only thing that the FAA has done is make up a bunch nonsense rules for everybody that hasn't had a problem to follow. Of course, they haven't been given much choice by some of my fellow controllers. Really, guys? Beds? Pillows? Sleeping when there are airplanes to tend to? Coming to work with the idea that you get to sleep?

Nobody knows more than me just how hard staying awake with nothing to do can be.  If you've been following Out Of My Hat for very long, you'll remember my annual Maintenance Wakefulness Test (MWT) that I get to take again next month and my experiences from the past.

We all know the rules--just play along.  We also know that the one thing that most of our supervisors hate to do is ... well, their job. So just don't give them an excuse for having to do it! --just play along.  On most offenses that are subject to disciplinary action, we have nothing to fear because none of them are willing to go through the proper documentation, notification or procedures that they have determined are necessary.  They may try to blame it on the Union, but the truth is the Union just holds them to the procedures that they say are necessary for discipline or removal.

For a first time removable offense...you're pretty much hosed and there isn't much that anybody can do to help you.

Let's be honest with each other, the FAA isn't going to do anything that will make working crap hours with no rest and little to do any easier. They are not going to make meaningful changes to allow for more rest. And they are never going to make safety more important than politics.  As long as the FAA is charged with the dual role of regulating aviation and promoting the safety of the industry to flying public, it will be corrupt.

Safety was never compromised!

The foxes that guard the chicken coop are always going to tell you that the hens are perfectly safe! If a hen is killed; don't worry, they'll add another fox as a guard and promote the supervisor that was on duty!

Maybe we should all have to take the stupid MWT.  The irony of sleep apnea is that if you don't get it diagnosed, you get to keep working (you may be tired, but you're working). Once you have the diagnosis and are being treated, they pull your medical certification and require you to jump through the hoops to keep your job. It makes perfect sense when you look at it through the filter of government bureaucracy.

John

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Quietly Coming Home

I got to see something pretty cool last night. At a little bit after 1 o'clock Thursday morning, an MD80 aircraft, bringing several dozen military troops home, arrived in Springfield MO. The chartered airplane parked at the old terminal building to unload its passengers.

These men and women that had been away from their families serving our country, arrived home in the middle of the night with little fanfare. Except...

The guys that man the Fire and Rescue at the airport heard about the flight and wanted to do something to let the passengers know that they are special and that their sacrifice and service is greatly appreciated. They positioned two of the fire trucks to give a "water salute" as the aircraft taxied to the ramp.

The firetrucks station themselves far enough apart that the aircraft can easily taxi between them. As the aircraft approaches, they expel water from their cannons, forming an arch of water over the taxiing aircraft.

What made this really cool was that it was at 1 am, on a dark ramp...and there was nobody there to see it--only the troops themselves and their families. Having a small part in it (coordinating between the vehicles and the pilots) made me feel like it was a personal salute from me and the guys at the firehouse; a personal thank you to the troops; a welcome home. I found myself standing to watch it--not because standing gave me a better view, but because standing seemed like the right thing to do; the respectful thing to do.

I don't know where these troops had served. It really doesn't matter. What matters to their families is that they are safe and they are home.

John

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The Job

This was posted by a fellow air traffic controller. I think that most controllers would agree with most of the expressions found in it. Not all of us work in the pressure cooker environments of a hub facility or busy center sectors. We work in facilities that range from towers that have single engine planes as the primary source of traffic to military bases to the busiest commercial airports. We don't work with a safety net--we are the safety net.

I think that air traffic controllers are the most arrogant group of people that I know...and that's okay. While there may be more than one way to make a sequence or vector an aircraft out of your airspace, each of us believes that our way is the best. If I thought that your way was better, I would do it your way. It's not, that's why I do it my way. We are quick to judge one another and even quicker to help one another. We are the ultimate team. We are responsible for the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic in the busiest and safest air traffic system in the world.

Enjoy. And remember...these people are my friends...

John

The job often sucks

Even for those of us who love it

We are not appreciated by anyone outside of our profession

We hold more lives in our hands in one average shift than a medical doctor does in his whole career

Pilots don't understand us

or even listen sometimes

but they rely on us to save their asses when they need us

and will probably never say thank you

Everything we say is recorded

We have to be prepared to defend every word we say in a court of law should the unthinkable happen

We are responsible for knowing more rules than humanly possible

Those rules are subject to daily change

We can't imagine doing any other job

We carry around in our heads the equivalent amount of data as the average metropolitan phone book

We don't have time to look anything up

We aren't allowed to make mistakes

We don't have a God complex

We are Gods

We receive more training than physicians

We can't make our "clients" wait in a waiting room until we're ready for them

We are always in control

We control everything in our environment

This affects our personal life in ways that a non-controller cannot fathom

Our spouses will never understand us

or what we do

We can't bring the job home

But it is always with us

We all have crash dreams

We will control traffic in our sleep

We never have to worry about a foot-high inbox when we come into work

We can't put an airplane back in the inbox to deal with later

We take extreme pride in the quality of our work, no matter how negatively the FAA, the media and some politicians portray us

No, you can not imagine the stress

We aren't able to tolerate a read-back error at a drive thru restaurant

Indecision is unacceptable in any scenario

We didn't invent the "Mooney spike" but we see the effects of it every day

We don't get bathroom breaks whenever we need them

We learn to hold it until we get a break

There is always something that needs to be done right now

We have a lack of tolerance for miscommunication

We get grumpy when we don't have enough airplanes to keep us busy

We get grumpy when we have too many

We are the only ones who know where we draw this invisible line between the two

We love gallows humor

When we retire, we will seek out, socialize with, and keep close friendships with other controllers

They are still the only people who come close to understanding us or are willing to put up with us

We get to retire "early"

But most of us wont live more than ten years after retirement

We expect people to say what they mean and mean what they say

Everything in life is either black or white

there is no gray

We can drink a hotel bar dry in about two hours.

We use anticipated separation when we drive

We can't understand people who don't know how to calculate speed differences to hit gaps on the highway

There is something "off" about ALL of us

We all want children to have "normal" lives and "normal" jobs

But we are so proud when they choose to become controllers themselves

We are not allowed to treat our depression or anxiety with FDA-approved medicine

Or even admit out loud that we suffer from either

We will lose our jobs if we do

But we can drink our weight in Jim Beam

As long as we are at least 8 hours from our next shift

Most of us look 10 yrs older than our age and act 10 yrs younger

We know all the different variations of the word "stress"

We are drawn to extremely dangerous pastimes

We will eventually be on blood pressure medication

We don't know what normal sleep patterns are

We're not allowed to use sleep aids

We work in the middle of the night

and on Christmas

and weekends

and your birthday

We will never have "normal" days off

We will never have a regular social life

We can't participate in our kids' school activities

We know that our worth isn't reflected by our position in the FAA or our rank in the military

A newly-checked out controller who can move metal will always have more of our respect than a member of management or a highly ranked officer who can't separate two flies with a screen door

Our friends won't understand that we can't just leave work

or get off work

or stop thinking about work

We are not "Disney-friendly"

People think that we are the guys on the ramp with the flashlights

and that we get to fly for free

We make more money than you do

But you have the house

and the cars

and the vacation home

and the time with your family

We have the clothes, the watch, the sunglasses and the attitude

We are fluent in three languages: English, Acronyms and Cursing

We speak all three simultaneously and loudly

Controller candy comes in two flavors: TUMS and Ibuprofen.

When a cold or flu strikes we just suck it up 'cause we can't take otc cold medication without being medically disqualified

We are brutally, ridiculously, ruthlessly hard on each other

We have thick skin

We will be the last person a pilot talks to on this earth

We will hear the terror in his voice

We will calmly use every tool we have to bring him down safely

We will hear his screams when we can't

We will never forget it

We will relive it again and again

We will go right back to work the next day and do it again

We aren't allowed to cry

When one of us fails we will laugh at him

When one of us succeeds we won't acknowledge it

We don't have time to pat ourselves or each other on the back

We have vectoring to do

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Old News--at least to Air Traffic Controllers

This story ran last week. There was video on ABC (video link in the story). Maybe you saw it. Maybe you were outraged by the wasteful spending. It came as no surprise to those of us that are Air Traffic Controllers. It was pretty much "business as usual" in the FAA. It really didn't take long for the culture to swing from working together for aviation safety (during the Clinton Administration) to the FAA dictatorship of the Bush Administration. It appears as if the FAA Management culture will take a little more time to swing back towards working together for the good of aviation during the current Administration. We do have a labor contract--at the order of the President. But getting to do what you want without accountability is a difficult thing to give up and I have a feeling it is going to be a long time before controllers place any trust in those that manage the agency.

Overall, I'd have to say that we have a pretty good management team at Springfield, MO. That's not to say that they don't have their moments of cranial rectosis, but they are usually decent enough to deal with. It was interesting that they immediately tagged NATCA (the controller's union) as the whistle blower that informed ABC News of the story. It may have been somebody from NATCA, but with an employee satisfaction ranking of 214 out of 216 government agencies there are a lot of potential whistle blowers in FAA land. NATCA members only make up about a tenth of FAA employees. There is also the nagging thing about the general public being fed up with government waste. The information could have come from a hotel employee or from a non-union member controller.

The good news is that there is hope for the future. In spite of the poor planning to properly staff air traffic facilities in the FAA, they are now being more creative in training new controllers. If you look at the graph at the end of the article, you'll see that the road ahead is a long one. I hope that our new Administrator will look to the controllers for help in shaping the system and continuing to keep the US skies the safest in the world.

I don't want to make too much of the ABC story. Like the one manager said, "What are you gonna do?" It's what we deal with on a daily basis. I can tell you this--for the most part (hey, every occupation has its weak links), the men and women that I know in the business of ATC are the very best. They work their butts off to make sure that you get to where you are going in a safe, orderly and expeditious manner.

So keep flying. The guys in the ABC story aren't the ones working the airplanes!

John

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Work Related

The run-off election for the president of the National Air Traffic Controller's Association (NATCA) and the Central Region vice-president is over. I have to say that I am very disappointed in the results for our national president. I wish Paul Rinaldi the best but will have to do some real mental gymnastics to overcome my fears that we are in for more of the mediocre (at best) leadership that we've experienced for the past few years. Sorry, Ruth. I know that you must be disappointed and yet I also know that you are all NATCA. Thank you for your service to the membership.

As for the Central Region...congratulations to Kevin Peterson and condolences to Andy Heifner. This was really a no lose situation for our region. Both of these guys are excellent and I'm sure that they will both continue to serve in their own ways. Kevin--let me know how I can help.

The next big item...Contract Ratification. Soon we'll know if the membership voted to ratify the proposed contract. Thanks to the team for their work. I know that the arbitrated parts are disappointing to us and I'm still trying to figure out how the arbitrators got from from their scathing comments of the FAA to using the imposed work rules as a base in their arbitration decision. I think that we'll see a great number of grievances as we enter back into some oversight of management and get away from the management style of there are no rules except the ones we make up. I also think that Kevin will be right in his element as he deals with these issues and represents us at the regional level. I hope that the FAA will get back to working with NATCA on system modernization so that systems will actually work when we try to bring them online.

In spite of its shortfalls, I submitted my vote to ratify the proposed contract. If you're a NATCA member, I hope that you will also vote for it.

John <><

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MWT Fail

In spite of the success at the first two Maintenance Wakefulness Tests (MWT), today's test was a failure. The tech monitoring the test told me that I fell asleep for just over two minutes during the second test period. I don't recall dozing off, but that's what the test showed.

They tell me I have to wait a week before I can test again so I'll be off of the boards for another week. Sacre Bleu!

My sick leave balance is pretty low so I'll have to take advantage of my manager's generosity and spend a few days doing administrative stuff. Tomorrow I'll spend my day of sick leave and make the trip to St. Louis with some buddies from church and we'll take in some Cardinal baseball, the obligatory ball park dog, a few White Castles and the after ballgame trip to Ted Drewe's. The problem with only having four tickets is choosing just three friends. I think my pastor's disappointed that he missed the cut...maybe next time.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to a great day.

John <><

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Get Some Sleep--You're Grounded

Well there is a new development in the continuing saga of an airtraffic controller with sleep apnea.

Since the "wakefulness test" that I recently took didn't include a stimulant screen test (including caffeine) I have to retake it. Also, my 4 hours and 11 minute per night average of using my CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine is not "aeromedically acceptable" according to Central Region Flight Surgeon, Dr. Wilson.

I tried to explain to him that I don't usually sleep more than 4-6 hours per night and that when working mid shifts, I basically sacrifice a night's sleep to get back on a normal schedule. I gave him an example from this past week:

Wednesday night bedtime about midnight.

Thursday--up at 4 am, work 5:30 am to 1:30 pm. Late in the evening, I took an hour long nap then went back to work at 10:30 pm.

Friday--get off work from the mid shift at 6:30 am. Once home I chill for a bit in front of the TV, have a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. I doze off on the sofa and miss 45 minutes of the movie that was on. Then I'm on the computer for a little bit before taking a shower. After that it's out the door to get gas for the lawn mower. I mow the lawn, work in the yard tearing out some overgrown landscaping and finish my day pretty much the same way everybody else does--dinner with the family, watch the Cardinals win another baseball game, read for a bit, play on the computer and a slightly earlier than usual bedtime of around midnight.

Having pretty much missed a night's sleep, I slept until 7 am on Saturday morning. I had a morning meeting with the American Christian Writers and a pretty normal kind of day. We met some friends for dinner and they came over to the house until about 10 pm. Then I watched some UFC fights with Aaron until a little after 11 pm.

I worked for one of the other controllers on Sunday morning from midnight until 8 am. When I got home, I showered, changed and went to church. After church, we went out for lunch and then came home and watched the Cardinal's ballgame until they went into a rain delay after 7 innings. I slept from 4 pm to 6 pm and was up a few minutes before company arrived for dinner.

I will say that I went to bed early Sunday night--about 10:30 and slept until 7 this morning.

Now if you total the sleep from Wednesday night through Sunday night/Monday morning (five nights) it comes out to less than 24 hours...and that's counting the 8.5 hours from Sunday night. If you throw out the 8.5 hours (since that woiuld be a "normal" night's sleep), you have about 15 hours in four nights. Truthfully, I just don't sleep that much. Besides, if 4 hours of sleep is not "aeromedically acceptable," I would think that most controllers across the country would need to use sick leave for all of the 8-10 hour turns that we do on a weekly basis.

The end result is that I'm medically disqualified until I retake the wakefulness test with the stimulant screen (including caffeine--which is stupid since you can drink coffee, tea or colas at work).

While all of this might bring comfort to the flying public (yes, the FAA is really concerned about your safety...either that or they're just covering their legal butts), the sad truth is that far too many controllers refuse to seek medical help for this dangerous illness because of all of the hoops you have to jump through once you have a medical diagnosis and are receiving treatment.

But don't worry. I'm used to this kind of thing...it's all a part of working for the federal government.

John <><

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Wake Up!

I'm blogging this morning from the Sleep Disorders lab. Yes, it is once again time for that annual test to see if I can stay awake long enough to provide safe, orderly and expeditious service to the flying public.

It's interesting to note the governments approach to the whole sleep apnea thing. As long as I dealt with my sleep apnea by ignoring it, I didn't have to jump through any hoops to keep my medical certificate and thereby keep working. Once the condition was acknowledged and I started receiving treatment, I now have to show that I can stay awake. Unfortunately, it is this backwards thought process that keeps many controllers from seeking help for a condition that often leaves them fatigued. Other sometimes risk getting treatment but not disclosing that information on their annual physical.

So now I'm wired up and have spent the first of several "test" periods staying awake. They turn off the lights, the TV and any other stimulus and make me lie in bed (actually reclined in a hospital bed) for 40 minutes...and not doze off! Who does this? Most people would fall asleep if they were put in a dark room and told to lie down for 40 minutes. The real irony of the thing is that the FAA says that we can't nap on our breaks while at work. I can watch Oprah or Dr. Phil or play darts or video games...but don't get any rest for your next session on radar! Of course, now I don't have a problem going to the quiet room and reclining in an easy chair with the lights off. I have medical documentation that I am able to do this without falling asleep.

Today I'll have time to catch up on my reading in between test periods (they don't let you nap here, either!). I have my HP Mini and will find ways to keep from being too bored and too tired. The test costs me a day of sick leave...another example of your tax dollars hard at work!

John <><

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