Originally Posted by
pilot dude
Hi.
was talking to a colleague on our last long flight and we came up with a question that maybe can be answered here.
Do ATC controllers have a work and rest time regulation like pilots have and how long is a normal shift for an ATC controller and how many shifts a week, month, year do ATC controllers work.
Hope you guys are better organized than we are with 60 hrs in 7 days 🙈
Thanks for the question. Responses will vary depending on location.
Australia.
The main rule-set affecting shifts and roster patterns is the ATC Enterprise Agreement (Industrial agreement that is re-negotiated every 3 years or so).
Basic rules
Length of shift
Vary depending on location, 8 hours; 9 hours for Enroute, or 10 hours.
Length of a shift will not be less than 6 hours.
A night shift will not be longer than 8 hours.
Shift lengths of up to 8 hours will be defined in increments of 15 minutes.
Shift lengths over 8 hours will be defined in increments of 30 minutes.
Maximum shift length (rostered or worked) is 10 hours.
Consecutive shifts
(a) The minimum number of consecutive rostered shifts will be 3.
(b) The maximum number of consecutive rostered shifts will be 5.
(c) The maximum number of consecutive rostered shifts can be varied by agreement to a maximum of 6.
(d) The maximum number of hours acquitted that can be rostered in consecutive shifts will be 48.
(e) The maximum number of consecutive shifts worked, inclusive of additional duty or emergency duty, will be 10; and
(f) the maximum number of hours acquitted in consecutive shifts inclusive of additional duty or emergency duty, will be 80.
a-d apply to roster patterns, e&f apply when additional duty or emergency duty is added, either an extension of a shift or as a seperate shift.
Commencement and cessation of work
No rostered shift will commence or cease between the hours of 0001 and 0459 local time.
So, in theory, assuming 8 hour shifts then 80 hours in 10 days, or if you like 56 hours in 7 days. If the shifts are 10 hours then it could be 80 hours in just 8 days, or if you like 70 hours in 7 days.