Planes wait while controller takes potty break

[BCTAv8r]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two airliners had to circle for 18 minutes and a plane ferrying human lungs for transplant was briefly delayed Friday while an airport's lone air traffic controller took a bathroom break, the controller's union said.

The union on Tuesday cited the Friday incident at the Manchester, New Hampshire, airport as evidence that air traffic control facilities are understaffed.

"There should never be one person in the tower, because it's not safe," said Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "It's just added proof that the system is stretched to its limits, and these are the type of things that are happening."

Federal Aviation Administration officials responded that staffing is sufficient, that the bathroom break was handled in accordance with policy, and that travelers were not endangered or unduly inconvenienced.

While drawing vastly different conclusions about the significance of the event, the FAA and the union gave details that generally matched.

Both said the controller, whom neither named, had been on duty at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport about two hours and 40 minutes Friday when he had to take a bathroom break.

Because the only other employee in the tower was not certified to handle takeoffs and landings, the controller notified FAA's Boston consolidated terminal radar approach control, or TRACON, that he was taking the unscheduled break.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/11/tower.break/index.html

 

[meritflyer]

When will they learn..

 

[Fly4Pay]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two airliners had to circle for 18 minutes and a plane ferrying human lungs for transplant was briefly delayed Friday while an airport's lone air traffic controller took a bathroom break, the controller's union said.

The union on Tuesday cited the Friday incident at the Manchester, New Hampshire, airport as evidence that air traffic control facilities are understaffed.

"There should never be one person in the tower, because it's not safe," said Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "It's just added proof that the system is stretched to its limits, and these are the type of things that are happening."

Federal Aviation Administration officials responded that staffing is sufficient, that the bathroom break was handled in accordance with policy, and that travelers were not endangered or unduly inconvenienced.

While drawing vastly different conclusions about the significance of the event, the FAA and the union gave details that generally matched.

Both said the controller, whom neither named, had been on duty at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport about two hours and 40 minutes Friday when he had to take a bathroom break.

Because the only other employee in the tower was not certified to handle takeoffs and landings, the controller notified FAA's Boston consolidated terminal radar approach control, or TRACON, that he was taking the unscheduled break.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/11/tower.break/index.html

He needed this.... from skyhighairlines.com

<see attachment>

 

[mtsu_av8er]

He needed this.... from skyhighairlines.com

<see attachment>

No, no - this is what he needed - a real product!!!

 

[flyover]

18 minutes!? I'm reminded of the Austin Powers scene where he urinates after getting unfrozen.

 

[Michael95U]

This happened to one of my students last summer. He was flying in from another airport and circled outside of our Class D with three other airplanes for 10 minutes. I had a nice conversation with the controller after that one. Our tower is a contract tower that usually only has one controller working at one time.

Michael

 

[Swen]

18 minutes!? I'm reminded of the Austin Powers scene where he urinates after getting unfrozen.

In the one tower I've been in, the elevator took about 8.5 minutes just to get to the top. After all, the elevator works for the government.

 

[I_WANNA_BE_ATP]

No, no - this is what he needed - a real product!!!

I got access to all the components at work. But, the condom cath can easily slip off, I'd go with the indwelling catheter if you really, really want to wear a leg bag to avoid the restroom. Or you can wear depends, they have been proven to work but a really upset woman driving from texas to florida, plus all the elderly with bladder problems who wear them.

 

[GJ1]

Hey when you gotta go, you gotta go!

 

[tonyw]

18 minutes!? I'm reminded of the Austin Powers scene where he urinates after getting unfrozen.

Yeah, but what if he had to do a number two? A few minutes to walk to the can, a few minutes to do your business and of course a glance at the sports page, and a few minutes to walk back.

 

[surreal1221]

Repost. . . check Ask ATC forum.

 

[Fly4Pay]

The condom cath can easily slip off, I'd go with the indwelling catheter if you really, really want to wear a leg bag to avoid the restroom.

To quote Ron Burgundy,

"GREAT ODIN'S HAMMER!"

 

[fiveninerzero]

No, no - this is what he needed - a real product!!!

18 minutes, he took a dump

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

He dubs that the 10,000 dollar dump now.

 

[Bog]

I thought that after the LEX crash they decided that all towers should have two people at all times...

 

[Minuteman]

I thought that after the LEX crash they decided that all towers should have two people at all times...

:yeahthat: What if, instead, the controller had collapsed and was unconcious? Nobody did anything when he wasn't there for 18 minutes, what would have prevented that from being much longer?

At the very least, I'd be happy to see two controllers on the job for the same reason its legally mandated to have at least two people on the flight deck ... redundancy in a component of the system.

 

[skydog]

Hey when you gotta go, you gotta go!

It's not like this is the first time a controller ever went to the bathroom. There may have been some extenuating circumstances we don't know about. Maybe another controller was late for his shift or called in sick, hence the single controller. Whatever the case, the FAA has procedures, and they were followed. Airplanes didn't fall out of the sky, and no one got hurt. No big deal. Let it go.

 

[Fly4Pay]

It's not like this is the first time a controller ever went to the bathroom. There may have been some extenuating circumstances we don't know about. Maybe another controller was late for his shift or called in sick, hence the single controller. Whatever the case, the FAA has procedures, and they were followed. Airplanes didn't fall out of the sky, and no one got hurt. No big deal. Let it go.

But he WASN'T alone... the news report said:

Because the only other employee in the tower was not certified to handle takeoffs and landings, the controller notified FAA's Boston consolidated terminal radar approach control, or TRACON, that he was taking the unscheduled break.

There were two people in the tower (as there should have been). At some point, one of them had to take a break, which is understandable after several hours. The only thing that made this remarkable is that the other guy wasn't qualified to supervise T/Os and ldgs, so somebody had to wait.

A BIGGER story would have been if the guy went to the bathroom and the other guy brought planes in and bent some metal because he didn't know what he was doing. Sounds like someone made the right call and held folks up.

Having said that, I'm sure that all the operators in the area weren't happy about the extra 18 mins of flight time they had to pay for, but there has to be SOME consideration given to human limitations.

 

[MFT1Air]

That's what I thought as well. There were two controllers in the tower, but one wasn't certified for T/O & Landings. Don't know what that means exactly as this particular airport, but if the unconscious air traffic controller scenario occurred, I'm certain "divert" would have been in someone's mind until another controller became available.

 

[Old Pete]

It's not like this is the first time a controller ever went to the bathroom. There may have been some extenuating circumstances we don't know about. Maybe another controller was late for his shift or called in sick, hence the single controller. Whatever the case, the FAA has procedures, and they were followed. Airplanes didn't fall out of the sky, and no one got hurt. No big deal. Let it go.

Totally unacceptable, it is as absurd as the headline makes it sound, to (in effect) close an airport for 18 minutes for a bathroom break should not be tolerated by pilots, controllers or the flying public.
If procedures were followed, we need new procedures.

But he WASN'T alone... the news report said:


A BIGGER story would have been if the guy went to the bathroom and the other guy brought planes in and bent some metal because he didn't know what he was doing. Sounds like someone made the right call and held folks up.

Contrary to what a lot of people believe, planes actually can and do land at airports without control towers or with control towers that are closed.

That's what I thought as well. There were two controllers in the tower, but one wasn't certified for T/O & Landings. Don't know what that means exactly as this particular airport, but if the unconscious air traffic controller scenario occurred, I'm certain "divert" would have been in someone's mind until another controller became available.

Hopefully, "land" would have crossed someone's mind.