Re: Big news in Sweden today: 40 sec from disaster
Flaps As you said, this has been going on for a long time. Avinor make Serco and others appear positively benign. How can any ATC provider attempt to justify manning a sector with only one controller with present traffic levels. Have the lessons of Uberlingen been forgotten so quickly?? Myself and others were very quick to attack Sky TV for their simplistic approach to aviation safety last week, however a mid-air could occur anywhere. The second controller on a sector, call him/her a Planner, Co-ordinator, Assistant, whatever, is a vital safety back-up and monitor. I have sometimes seen three, or more, of us on one really busy sector; one talking, one co-ordinating and one just watching, ready to warn of any problems.
A bit more understanding and subsequent airing of the problems would not come amiss, especially from the airspace users who are in a position to exert considerable pressure on the provider.
Apologies for Rant, but this is an intolerable situation