FAA Data about Chicago Center
 

This is from an email press release about a controller error... See below for Chicago Center info and after that are exact details of Sunday's error.

Subject: From the FAA


An operational (controller) error occurred yesterday in FAA's Chicago
Center airspace. Pilots in the two aircraft could see each other, and if
uncorrected, would have passed side by side 2.25 miles apart. However, the
controller issued turns, which resulted in the aircraft passing by a larger
distance -- 3.17 miles apart.

There was NEVER any danger of collision, but the event violated the
FAA's separation standards, which requires a "bubble" of space around
each aircraft.

The pilots could always see each other.

The planes' collision avoidance system never alerted.

This was NOT a near-miss.

Further detail below. Please note this email is the FAA's statement on the
event.

Important background:

The controllers work in Chicago Center, located in Aurora. The FAA's
Chicago Center is a large, multi-state, high-altitude air traffic control
facility. It controls high-altitude traffic in seven states, including
parts of Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

On September 6, 2006, the FAA implemented its current contract with the air
traffic controller's union (NATCA). This contract is mentioned here
because it continues to be the subject of much discussion and it comes up
during the union's discussions with the media.

This contract was implemented in accordance with law after the FAA and
NATCA could not reach an agreement. Per law, the impasse was referred to
Congress, and after 60 days, if Congress did not act, the FAA has the
authority to implement its proposed changes, including compensation and
benefits. After nine months of negotiation, the FAA submitted its proposed
changes to Congress on April 5, 2006.

After the 60-day Congressional review period expired, the contract took
effect on June 5, 2006. The contract terms and conditions were implemented
on September 3, 2006. This new contract now staffs to actual traffic need,
instead of determining staffing numbers with the union.

When you hear the term "authorized" numbers, these refer to the OLD (1998)
contract. As you will see below, traffic patterns have changed in the last
nine years.

Current Staffing at Chicago Center is as follows:

Planned staffing range:
308 to 376 controllers.

Actual staff:
353 Certified Professional Controllers (within staffing range)
7 Previously Certified Controllers are completing training
70 Controllers in training

FY 2008 Projected Losses: 44 controllers
FY 2008 Hiring Plan: 50 controllers

The FAA's complete hiring and staffing plan has been available on our
website (faa.gov) for some time. You can see the entire plan at this
location.

In general, controllers today handle the same level of traffic they were
handling in 1999-2000 under the previous contract. Some, like Chicago
Center, handle fewer aircraft:

Fiscal Year (October 1 - September 31) Numbers
of Operations
1997 2,822,393
1998 2,801,460
1999 2,867,673
2000 2,920,178
2001 2,819,535
2002 2,856,398
2003 2,852,161
2004 2,997,628
2005 2,898,206
2006 2,845,277
2007 2,715,479

Chicago Center controllers have seen a steady drop in traffic handled since
2004, and last year (FY 07), handled fewer flights than they have handled
in at least 10 years.

Likewise, controller errors at Chicago Center have been trending downward.
Here are the latest statistics:

FY 2003 plus 2004 130
FY 2004 plus 2005 101
FY 2005 plus 2006 76
FY 2006 plus 2007 64
FY 08 11

Nationwide, less than one error occured for every 10,000 hours of trainee
controller position time. On average, fully certified controllers are
working operational positions 85 percent of the time. Trainees, who work
15 percent, are always under the direct supervision of an experienced
Certified Professional Controllers.

Controller time on position is running about 4 hours and 48 minutes per
eight hour workday. System overtime is 1.7 percent, which is the same as
last year.

An FAA workgroup is currently reviewing controller work scheduling polices
and practices. Like pilots, mechanics and other safety professionals, air
traffic controllers are responsible for managing their free time to
maximize rest.

The FAA knew last year and the next two years would be heavy for controller
retirements. Currently, 14,874 controllers are on board nationwide. This
number exceeds our planned target of 14,807. In FY 07, we hired 1,815
controllers. 828 retired in the same time period. New hires come from
college programs (45 to 50%), military controllers (40%), former air
traffic controllers (5 to 10%), and through advertisement (5 to 10%). More
detailed information is available in our staffing plan on our website.

We are seeing NO different patterns in the current retirement wave than we
have in past years.

To date, 24,000 people have applied for the controller jobs, which pay an
average of $50,000 after the first successful year, close to $100,000 after
five successful years. Current controllers make an approximately $173,000
in salaries and benefits per year. They will see an increase to an average
of $187,000 over the life of the contract.

The success rate for new hires coming through the FAA Academy is 96.04%
nationwide.

Event detail:

Time: 11:32 a.m., Sunday, December 16, 2007.

An experienced, Certified Professional Controller was directly supervising
a developmental (training) controller. Together, they were working a
regional jet that had departed O'Hare, enroute Lexington, KY.

At 11:32 a.m., the two controllers instructed the regional jet to climb to
23,000 feet, although it's requested final altitude was 21,000 feet. The
reason why the controllers directed the aircraft to a higher altitude is
unknown at this time, and is the subject of investigation. The regional
jet was flying in a south-easterly direction.

A C130 (military) jet was flying at 22,000 feet, direction northwest. The
two aircraft could see each other. Uncorrected, they would have passed
side-by-side 2.25 miles apart. With turns issued by the controller, they
passed 3.17 miles apart at their closest point. Normal separation at this
point is five miles horizontally OR 1,000 feet vertically.

Please note: The FAA does not release information on military aircraft.
The military is the contact for any information on the C130.

The planes were 10 miles east of Kankakee. The pilots did not comment on
the event, and there was no TCAS (collision alert system) warning on either
aircraft.

This error is preliminary categorized as a "B" error. Errors are ranked
A-B-C-D depending upon the level of separation that was violated. We take
all errors seriously, and work hard to determine what happened and why,
with the goal of preventing such errors for happening again.

You can learn more about errors by reading the fact sheets included below.

Both controllers were taken off duty and sent for re-training, which is
standard procedure. An investigation continues, which again, is standard
procedure. The area was adequately staffed for traffic level at the time,
and there was no mandatory overtime in place.