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Which units use a watch system?

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Old 25th Jul 2006, 19:15
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Which units use a watch system?

Hi guys,

To assist with some research, could people let me know whether their units and other units they know, use watch systems and if possible what the system is e.g. 5 watches of 4 etc.

Thanks for any info

52N
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Old 25th Jul 2006, 20:05
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All NATS H24 units are five watches I believe, and I think we all work 6 on 4 off.
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Old 25th Jul 2006, 21:11
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Gonzo

remember it is a 6 on, 1 sleep and 3 off system when asked by anyone.
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Old 25th Jul 2006, 21:11
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Except for EGLC who work individual rosters.
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Old 25th Jul 2006, 21:16
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nodelay,

I was referring only to the H24 units.

terrain,

Of course. Sleep day. Yes. The oldies I do night shifts with do need their sleep on Day 7.

Those of us who are fit and virile make do with an SAS-style ten minute power nap in the afternoon.
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Old 25th Jul 2006, 23:36
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Cool

We normally have seven crews (watches) here in the US at large centers. Our normal watch schedule is two evening shifts followed by two day shifts followed by a midnight shift. Where I work it is something like this, Sunday 1430 - 2230, Monday 1330 - 2130, Tuesday - 0630 - 1430, Wednesday 0630 - 1430, Thursday morning - 2230 (Wed) - 0630... It makes you old before your time...

regards

Scott
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 00:11
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Hey Scott, that would be illegal in the UK .... thank God
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 05:49
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Lulsgate Bottom Institute for the Terminally Depressed, or Bristol as it's more widely known works 5 watches of 5 (or at least we're meant to, whether we will ever get there is up for debate!) on a 6 on, 1 sleep, 3 rest pattern.
And before the 'know it alls' start harping on about us being NATS, we had the same structure long before we entered the Hotel California.
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 14:27
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I think some of the NATS non-24 hour units do 6 on 3 off with 3 watches (no nights)
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 15:06
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"Night"? What's that?

Bren
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 15:52
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It's the same as it's always been Bren.....something you sleep through.
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 16:22
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Oh yes - ta! Best watch system I ever worked was a 10-watch. We did the old afternoon - morning/night - then about 8 days off. Didn't last long surprisingly.
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 18:31
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Originally Posted by PPRuNe Radar
Hey Scott, that would be illegal in the UK .... thank God
AFter 22 years of it, I'm here to say it should be illegal here, too...
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 21:32
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Did almost 35 years of:

Afternoon (1400 - 2200)
Swing (1230 - 1900)
Morning (0730 - 1230) followed by Night (2200 - 0730)
Sleep
Off
Off
As time went by I found it was taking more and more time to recover from the night until it reached the state where I could sleep through most of the Afternoon duty

This sysetm was a legacy from WWII. Not really suitable to today's traffic patterns and thankfully disappearing now.
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 21:40
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Watches

Anyone got an example of a 4 watch system or any other system that covers 2 positions 24/7 with 18 people ?

GOA
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 21:48
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Grumpy, The variant of my previous post
Afternoon (1230 - 2200)
Morning (0730 - 1230) followed by the Night (2200 - 0730)
Sleep
Off

Fortunately binned
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Old 26th Jul 2006, 22:09
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LON

"Did almost 35 years of:

Afternoon (1400 - 2200)
Swing (1230 - 1900)
Morning (0730 - 1230) followed by Night (2200 - 0730)
Sleep
Off
Off"

1230-1900 is far too early in the day for me to swing!!
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Old 27th Jul 2006, 07:08
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Dubai - 5 watches and a 10 day cycle

2 morning (0700-1400)
2 afternoon (1400-2200)
2 nights (2200-0700)
Sleep day
3 days off

The 2nd night is the killer and nights are our busiest shifts by far. There is talk that we may move to a rostering system next year. Leaves good though, 36 "working days" (doesn't include days off) which you can manipulate into at least 60 days leave per year.

Don't know of a legal 4 watch system.
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Old 27th Jul 2006, 08:20
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Its never to early to swing!!!!!


Keys in the bowl please!!!!!
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Old 27th Jul 2006, 09:22
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Originally Posted by HEATHROW DIRECTOR
"Night"? What's that?
It's when the police helicopter wakes you up.
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