Narrative:

The FAA has severely compromised safety in the staffing levels. Example I just got off the sector after working 3 hours and 15 mins. I'm 45 yrs old; the FAA had run numerous studies in the past that verified that mistakes and safety become compromised after 2 hours on position. This is now a daily occurrence. The FAA used to say that they wouldn't have anyone after age 30 because air traffic abilities decrease with age. I'm quite sure the average age in my area (northeast ZAU) is about 42 yrs. Massive WX in area; no one on break; 3 hour on position. In fact positions not even staffed that needed help. Supplemental information from acn 711181: working sparta and squib sector combined with WX impacting the operation. At this time I am working solo. Very quickly ord inbounds start to deviate into my airspace. At the same time a grr departure on the other side of my airspace has to deviate into ZOB airspace requiring data entries and calls to multiple sectors. I requested a d-side. The controller in charge had nobody available to call back. The controller in charge assisted for a short time and then pulled a d-side from another position to assist me as the problem continued to increase in complexity. Supplemental information from acn 711170: in the end; there were not enough people working to meet the needs dictated by traffic and WX. We had no choice but to make due and work through it with fewer controllers than was necessary for the shift.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FAA'S NEW STAFFING STANDARDS AND POLICIES AND THEIR EFFECT ON CTLR PERFORMANCE.

Narrative: THE FAA HAS SEVERELY COMPROMISED SAFETY IN THE STAFFING LEVELS. EXAMPLE I JUST GOT OFF THE SECTOR AFTER WORKING 3 HRS AND 15 MINS. I'M 45 YRS OLD; THE FAA HAD RUN NUMEROUS STUDIES IN THE PAST THAT VERIFIED THAT MISTAKES AND SAFETY BECOME COMPROMISED AFTER 2 HRS ON POS. THIS IS NOW A DAILY OCCURRENCE. THE FAA USED TO SAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYONE AFTER AGE 30 BECAUSE AIR TFC ABILITIES DECREASE WITH AGE. I'M QUITE SURE THE AVERAGE AGE IN MY AREA (NE ZAU) IS ABOUT 42 YRS. MASSIVE WX IN AREA; NO ONE ON BREAK; 3 HR ON POSITION. IN FACT POSITIONS NOT EVEN STAFFED THAT NEEDED HELP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 711181: WORKING SPARTA AND SQUIB SECTOR COMBINED WITH WX IMPACTING THE OP. AT THIS TIME I AM WORKING SOLO. VERY QUICKLY ORD INBOUNDS START TO DEVIATE INTO MY AIRSPACE. AT THE SAME TIME A GRR DEP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY AIRSPACE HAS TO DEVIATE INTO ZOB AIRSPACE REQUIRING DATA ENTRIES AND CALLS TO MULTIPLE SECTORS. I REQUESTED A D-SIDE. THE CIC HAD NOBODY AVAILABLE TO CALL BACK. THE CIC ASSISTED FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN PULLED A D-SIDE FROM ANOTHER POS TO ASSIST ME AS THE PROB CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN COMPLEXITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 711170: IN THE END; THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WORKING TO MEET THE NEEDS DICTATED BY TFC AND WX. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE DUE AND WORK THROUGH IT WITH FEWER CTLRS THAN WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SHIFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.