Office Lighting Preference

What level of lighting do you prefer in your dispatch office?

  • Typical office lighting

    Votes: 6 8.7%
  • Slightly dimmed lighting

    Votes: 33 47.8%
  • "Mood" lighting like at Southwest

    Votes: 20 29.0%
  • ATC Radar room

    Votes: 10 14.5%

  • Total voters
    69
  • Poll closed .

manniax

Well-met in the Ka-tet
Just thought I'd see what level of lighting people prefer in the NOC (or whatever it's called at your airline.) Including a couple of pictures to compare. I like a normal-ish level, myself, although not full on bright. I think I might get tired of the lower level of lighting that they have at WN, but I've never worked in an environment like that so not positive. I think they could have done a better job in my office, although things have improved since we moved in from 100% bright to a more subdued level.

Southwest:

NOC_Pan_web.jpg


Delta:

Project-DeltaAirLinesOperations-01.jpg
 
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looking at both side-by-side.. the NOC looks more appealing. but if I had to work 10 hours a day in one, i’d probably prefer what delta has goin on
 
B6 has something like DL, even a bit dimmer. Most seem to prefer the dimmer lighting opposed to max brightness.

Side note: Why do DL desks have 2 keyboards/mice?
 
Well, it has been several years now, but I always preferred a fully lit room at the 911 Center (as did most people working the dayshift). It was the occasional interloper on OT who wanted things as dark as possible. I hated to work alternate shifts which someone else "owned" and stumbling around in the relative darkness.
 
The bright lights are killer on midnights. I would prefer something like the Flux computer program. It shifts the warmness and coolness of lighting to reflect the sun. At night, switch to a mood lighting of sorts but be alright for people on day shift.
 
Well, it has been several years now, but I always preferred a fully lit room at the 911 Center (as did most people working the dayshift). It was the occasional interloper on OT who wanted things as dark as possible. I hated to work alternate shifts which someone else "owned" and stumbling around in the relative darkness.

Agreed. I’ve been in the delta SOC, and while it reminded me exactly of a USAF (or USN for that matter) duty area, I think the lights probably convey a sense of it being the workday. I’m sure the WN, or AS Bus office (similar hue), offer a particular ambiance, but I don’t know if it is particularly effective at keeping eyes open.

Also, I remember chatting with the delta metro duty lady, and she was amazing. Incredibly smart, and might as well have been teaching the GA tech meteorology class. She talked our idiot CTP class through the Skew-T and all kinds of other stuff she didn’t even need to be spending her time on. The explanation began with “say I am a parcel of air” :) Cool experience!
 
I prefer something with a view. Our SOC has a view with giant windows. Planes landing all day :)

My last dispatch office was like that, located right at the airport. Unfortunately, some NOC's are weather-proofed to withstand tornadoes, etc. and thus have no windows (thinking of AA and WN here, as well as Sprit's facility in MCO, but not sure about DL as I've never visited their office.) We do have a nice view and windows where I work, but unfortunately most desks aren't located right next to the windows. Easy to stand up and go look outside though.
 
I worked midnights last year in the big blue box, and I really believe that the soft blue lighting and lack of windows made the graveyard shift significantly less fatiguing. The room looks exactly the same whether it's 2pm or 2am. There's not much to have a view of in Dallas anyway.
 
Hate dimly lit offices, bothers my eyes staring into a bright pc monitor contrasting with the dark environment surrounding the screen. I believe I am in the minority though.

f.lux or even the built in Windows night mode does the trick for me. It reduces the blue light and makes it a lot easier on the eyes. I even take it a step further and dim my monitors down all the way.
 
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