Solo watch towers in the UK

[country boy]

Hi team, I am trying to find out how many "solo watch" towers there are in the UK and how it is that they go about taking breaks while on watch ie do they close up shop? Any help would be greatly appreciated and if the information was verifiable that would be even better.

[Monkey Madness]

See your PM's

[chevvron]

I doubt if there are any. When granting a licence to operate an ATC unit, the UK CAA will want to see rosters and be assured staff levels can cover continuous operation over the daily operational period including the allowance for each controller to have at least 30 min rest for every 2 hours of operational duty; and they wouldn't allow you to become FIS for half hour periods as there is a stipulation that the rest period must be away from the control position. If that can't be covered then the CAA may be inclined not to issue a licence.

[trafficnotsighted]

There are still a few that are operated by one ATCO early morning and evenings outside the 9 to 5 ish hours, with approval of SRG.

[Get me some traffic]

Have we not learned the lessons of Lexington KY? IFATCA supports the four eyes principle, quite rightly in my view!!

[trafficnotsighted]

The airports i am talking about have a ATCA on watch during single ATCO operations for that extra set of eyes. You could argue that it would be safer than two ATCO's assuming the ATCO not in the seat was taking a break and not in the tower.

[orgASMic]

IFATCA supports the four eyes principle

I sometimes wear glasses rather than contact lenses - does this solve the issue?

[GunkyTom]

Alderney have one ATCO on duty and no ATSA. It is Twr only-the ATCO does the met obs, answers phones etc and when they need a break, I think they fit it in around traffic. I'm not sure if Guernsey monitor their freq when they are on a break .