Flygelederne i fokus - Bemanning og bakgrunn - USA - Curt Lewis

FAA hiring changes endanger air safety

By Verne Latham

A shortage of qualified air-traffic controllers caused by new Federal Aviation Administration hiring rules is creating dangerous conditions in American skies.

Currently, about 11,000 fully certified air-traffic controllers keep watch over about 87,000 daily flights, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The number of controllers should be 4,000 higher, and the current qualifying practices make the problem worse. (According to the controllers association, 32 certified air traffic controllers work at Houston Intercontinental, 19 work at William P. Hobby and 71 at Houston TRACON, also known as Houston Air Traffic Control.)

The FAA historically has preferred to hire military veterans or graduates from 36 schools certified to produce reliable air-traffic controllers. But about two years ago, the agency opened its application process to anyone off the street, provided they passed a new biographical assessment.

The questions initially, though no longer, used to screen those who may guide the fate of your next flight included: "What sports did you play in high school?" and "What magazines do you read?"

If the public knew, they'd do a lot more than review the emergency procedures in the seatback card.