"-- AENA management plans to reduce delays by increasing sector capacity between 30%-60%, reducing horizontal separation from 8 to 5 miles, reducing training periods for new ATCO´s they plan to move from towers to ACC´s, and stablishing single-man positions."
There has been so many Class A events in Spain. All in all, almost 1 event out of 10.000 movements is 10 times what should be acceptable in such a "high-safety" activity. Solving this should be the only management's priority.
Single-man positions :
"Single-man positions" is just the opposit of what should be done.
In France, when we are over a sector's capacity, we sometimes ask for a THIRD qualified controller on the position. Not to control, just to be sure we don't miss anything.
Single-man position is a good way to make short term cost-reductions. Just be sure insurance costs won't rise more than the spared amount.
Reduced minima :
12(ish) years ago, we changed separation minima from 8 to 5NM.
It didn't come in a finger's snap. We had to change radar systems (meaning antennas, computers, screens, flight plan systems...), there had to be lots of safety tests...
And controllers had to train for a new concept : before, we had to keep 8NM on the screen to be sure there would be at least a couple of miles in real. Now, we know that maintaining a separation of 5nm will only avoid "metallic contact" (0NM).
This statistically means that errors can be dreadfully more dangerous than before.
That leads me to think that before reducing separation minima, Spannish management should ensure that separation infringement occur a bit less often.
Which means improve continuous training for qualified controllers, adapt rosters to be sure they are fit,...
Once the number of events has been reduced to a normal amount (1 out of 100.000 mouvements), then they can think about increasing capacity.
Reduce training time :
The only way to reduce training time is to get a mono-sector qualification.
This is fast in a short term vision, but the overall system lacks flexibility thus capacity. And it becomes more expensive in a way or another.
Privatisation :
National vs private management is not a real factor : private or servants, controllers are human and subject to fatigue. Physical and/or psycological.
In the USofA, when controllers fall asleep, their management's reflex is to change the rosters, not to privatise. I don't believe their federal ANSP is worse than any of our European privatised service provider.
The only difference is where the money goes. But, in a wonderful World, this should be the subject of a thread on JB, not a safety concern.