Air Traffic Controllers’ Rostering: Sleep Quality, Vigilance, Mental Workload, and Boredom: A Report of Two Case Studies

Abstract

Fatigue in air traffic management (ATM) is a well-recognized safety concern. International organizations like ICAO and EASA have responded by advocating for fatigue risk management systems (FRMSs). EU Regulation 2017/373, implemented in January 2020, mandates specific requirements for air traffic service providers (ANSPs) regarding controller fatigue, stress, and rostering practices. These regulations are part of broader safety management protocols. Despite ongoing efforts to raise awareness about fatigue in ATC, standardized operational requirements remain elusive. To address this gap, Eurocontrol recently published “Guidelines on fatigue management in ATC rostering systems” (23 April 2024). This initiative aims to facilitate the adoption of common fatigue management standards across operations. However, neither EU Regulation 2017/373 nor existing documentation provides definitive rostering criteria. ANSPs typically derive these criteria from a combination of scientific research, best practices, historical data, and legal and operational constraints. Assessing and monitoring fatigue in the real-world ATC setting is complex. The multifaceted nature of fatigue makes it difficult to study, as it is influenced by many factors including sleep quality, circadian rhythms, psychosocial stressors, individual differences, and environmental conditions. Long-term studies are often required to fully understand these complex interactions. This paper presents two case studies that attempt to create an evidence-based protocol for fatigue risk monitoring in ATC operations. These studies utilize a non-invasive approach and collect multidimensional data. The cases involved en-route and tower (TWR) controllers from different ATC centers. The results highlight the importance of fatigue assessment in ATC and shed light on the challenges of implementing fatigue monitoring systems within operational environments.

Keywords

• fatigue
• vigilance
• workload
• boredom
• air traffic controller
• rostering