- Air traffic controllers are bringing
planes too close together more often, figures obtained by USA TODAY show.
Errors by air traffic controllers climbed from 746 in fiscal 1997 to 878
in fiscal 1998, an 18% increase. The errors per million flights handled
by controllers climbed from 4.8 to 5.5. FAA figures for the first three
months of fiscal 1999 (October to December), the most recent available,
also show that errors are ahead of last year's pace. The trend does not
mean the skies are less safe, experts and FAA officials say. Errors are
still rare, and most involve planes passing so far apart that there is
no danger of collision. But some experts fear the numbers mean it will
be difficult to make the current system safer. The Federal Aviation Administration
wants an 80% reduction in accidents by 2007. "We have a pretty good
system which is operating pretty safely," says John Hansman of the
International Center for Air Transportation.
"It tells you that it is going to be extremely difficult to make substantial
improvements in safety." Says Ronald Morgan, the FAA's air traffic
chief: "Have we reached the expected level of human performance? Will
it take automation to decrease the level of human errors?" Morgan
says two systems expected in coming years could help. One allows controllers
and pilots to communicate via an e-mail-like system, which should reduce
errors of miscommunication. The other uses computers to give controllers
more warning when planes are headed toward each other. Bill Blackmer ,
a safety expert with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association,
says another way to reduce errors is to improve controller morale. For
traffic flying above 29,000 feet, planes must be separated by 5 miles horizontally.
Planes may pass closer than that if they are at least 2,000 feet apart
vertically. Separation distances shrink near airports.
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