As part of its work on the human dimension of the Single European Sky (SES), and to complement its various initiatives related to the licensing and training of air traffic controllers (ATCOs), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) launched, end 2022, a study on ‘ATCO Fatigue’.
A consortium led by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and Welbees was commissioned to collect scientific data on the workload and fatigue of ATCOs employed at air traffic service providers (ATSPs) that provide services in the EASA Member States.
Thanks to the participation of 36 ATSPs and 236 ATCOs, the results of the study, the first of its kind in Europe, are representative of the current work practices and provide notably:
- qualitative information on the level of implementation of the current EU regulations on ‘ATCO Fatigue’;
- data on the current work practices, the level of fatigue associated to these practices, and the causes of fatigue; and
- guidance on prevention and mitigation measures to limit fatigue.
The study is a useful data source for the national supervisory authorities (NSAs) for ATSPs and ATCOs, to assess the local practices and put in place mitigation measures, where necessary.
Follow-up measures will be proposed by EASA.