Night shifts

[atcsstudent]

Hi to you all guys!!
I'd like to know how do you work during night shifts. In Spain before the royal decree we worked 10 hours, from 10pm till 0800 am (the same as now) but our rest time was 50%, and now is a 33% out of the 10 hours.
It would be interesting for us, Spanish Atc, now about your night shift as we are negotiating that with our ANSP.
Thanks to you all in advance!!

[aspichat]

Hi !

Here in LFMM, the night shift runs from 19:30 till 6:30 (11h shift), with a resting time of 4h (which is about 36%)...

[fly_ebos]

In Maastricht the nightshift starts at 2300lt and finishes at 0630lt. How it is divided depends a bit on the season.

At the moment all 4 of us come in at 2300 as we are still on 2 sectors. When we collapse into one sector, 2 controllers go to bed and get up again by 3am to sent the other 2 to bed. Depending on sector needs they sleep untill whatever time they wake up. But during summer they are most of the time needed again by 6am to open a second sector.

[taekyon2]

5 hours rest time out of 10 hours duty time. Heaven! 33% out of 10 hours still sounds good in my opinion.

We work 12 hour night shifts, from 7pm until 7am. Usually we get 4 hours of uninterrupted break either between 10pm and 2am, or 2am and 6am. On top of that one or two additional 30min breaks in the evening. Ideally that gives us 5 hours rest time out of 12 hours duty time, making for 40% at the most.

[BrATCO]

One night is from 8 PM to 7 AM (11h), the next one is from 8PM to 630AM (1030h). 2 teams come to deal with 17 sectors.

1h rest before midnight, then some go to sleep when sectors collapse. 6 ATCOs remain to deal with 3 sectors until 0330AM(ish), when they are replaced by 6 other ATCOs.
Then, the ones who sleep are called when needed to open sectors, most of the time in regard of the morning's oceanic traffic load.
The rest times are mostly under supervisor's responsability. They must be at least 33% of the time during night shifts (25% during day shifts).

[TC_Ukraine]

In Ukraine night shift lasts from 9pm till 8am (11 hours). We have 4 hours exactly for sleeping and also 1-3 hours of free time - this time depends on number of controllers on duty and sector (more time on approach)

[Knackers]

On the sectors I worked, we worked them combined from 11pm-6am on our own, no break, no relief, continuous traffic. Three years ago, they put 2 on - but now they want to reduce to one, and have some bod wander around the room giving everyone breaks, even though they don't hold a rating! This is world's best practice!

[Lon More]

fly_EBOS what sector group? what happened to the requirement for a break after max. 2 hours on the position?

[aaesteve]

The T&Cs in Australia look really awful! With all the turmoil we've had around here last 9 months, we've looked at some of the world's collective agreements and, I have to say, yours look worst by far.

I hope you can get some improvements, not only because of the T&Cs being poor, but for the sake of safety.

Regards.

[andrijander]

Hi Lon:

we are allowed to work up to 4 hours straight when on night shifts. The 2 hour rule applies during day time only (normally in the night there's not so much to do as during the day so the concentration levels are not so high). It applies to all three sector groups.

A.

[Lon More]

Thanks, when they bought that rule in, just before I left, management was insisting on the two hour rule even during nights. :ugh:

[levelD]

Slightly off-topic , but for Lon and I suppose more importantly for andrijander , it's max 2,5 hrs during the day officially , but work a max of 2 under normal ops.:ok:

[kontrolor]

si - 20.45 - 7.00 loc

[055166k]

London ACC Swanwick. I work night duties 2200-0630......2 hours on then 30 minute break.....2 hours on then 30 minute break etc. During the day shifts 0630-1330 or 1330-2200 the max is 1 hour 30 minutes on, then 30 minute break.
I've been doing this for 40 years....no big deal...and I'm paid less than half of what Spanish colleagues earn. Call yourselves "controllers"....I call you "comedians"!
Good luck anyway, you are in a pretty strong position because you can virtually destroy what is left of the Spanish economy single-handed...as it relies so much on tourism.

[1985]

I work at LACC also. 2200 - 0630.
Typically
2200-2330 on
2330-0100 off
0100-0300 on
0300-0500 off
0500-0530 on
0530-0600 off
0600-0630 on

2 hrs is the most you can work at night

[fly_ebos]

Lon, Brussels sector

Rumors have it we might go to night sector licecensing, whereby you can work all 3 sector groups between certain hours.

Regarding breaks, 2h max on position is for during the day.

[Lon More]

BRU was with 6 controllers IIRC whren I left, cutting it to four is a move backwards but I see the hours have changed, also has the M disappeared before the night?

The idea of night sector licencing was mooted some years ago but was then decided to only be do-able after periodic competency checks in the Sim were introduced. Traffic was then such that it would only be possible for a couple of hours each night so there would be little or no benefit.

[thealps]

In Switzerland our 2 nightshifts run from 20.00-05.30 LT. 2 breaks of around 40 min each before midnight and from midnight until 05.30, no breaks at all. There is one "spare" nightshift who works until midnight and then goes to sleep in the building. :zzz:

[fly_ebos]

Lon,

All sectors have 4 people on the night now, started when they introduced the new roster. Finally the morning before the night has gone, and what a difference that makes!
Last year we did have some extra help with 2 afternoon controllers rostered untill midnight and 2 coming in at 6am, but not this year. Now you get called up again around 6am to work for 15-20 min untill the morning shift comes in...

When did you retire?

[rab-k]

EGGX: 2230-0730 loc; full staffing but with individual start/end times staggered to suit the traffic. (busiest period 0300-0700). Max time on sector 2hrs followed by minimum 30min break.

[fourthreethree]

Lon More retired somewhere in the 1920's......:E

There have been multiple changes in nightshift philosophy since you left Lon, I remember the 2hr nightshift nonsense, caused quite some uproar. Now all four controllers turn up at 11 and stay on site until 06.30, either working or standby. Normally on the DECO sectors we split it two ways, either working 11-3 or 3-6.30, but 4 hrs is permitted during nightshift hours.

During the day 2hrs is the norm, but 2 1/2 is permitted legally if required, basically covering themselves for late arrivals on shift.

As for night licensing, the last I heard was that it was a no-go, but that there was another option whereby all 3 sector groups will be located side by side during the night, and single sector manning will be approved on the basis that there are 3 pairs of eyes in the locality. We shall see.....

[Lon More]

Lon More retired somewhere in the 1920's......

No, I stopped working then; retirement came much later