Turn Off Tune In: I Don’t Want Your Distractions
In one of the most popular Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-NATCA produced videos of 2017, controllers urge their peers to keep distractions out of the operation, a message that will be reiterated at next week’s NATCA 17th Biennial Convention in Philadelphia.
‘“I Don’t Want Your Distractions’: An Appeal to Safety” was produced collaboratively by the FAA and NATCA and released in September. Its powerful message and stark visuals helped to make it one of the top FAA Air Traffic Organization-focused videos of 2017.
The video was produced in support of Turn Off Tune In, a long-running collaboration between the FAA and NATCA as part of the Foundations of Professionalism that educates controllers and managers on the importance of keeping distractions out of the operating environment.
Members from the Turn Off Tune In workgroup will join representatives from other programs in the Foundations of Professionalism—including RESPECT, Fully Charged, and Professional Standards—at next week’s Convention. Each of the programs will be featured at the Foundations of Professionalism booth in the exhibition area all week, and during a breakout session panel offering to Convention attendees.
The message of Turn Off Tune In remains critical for safety professionals. Mobile phones, wearables and similar devices have the potential to distract and cause their users to lose focus.
These distractions, especially from electronic devices, are the equivalent of a 10 percent drop in a user’s IQ, equal to losing a night of sleep and more than twice the effect of drugs and alcohol. National Safety Council research found that switching focus between tasks leads to delayed reaction time.
Controllers at facilities across the National Airspace System have embraced the campaign and continue to encourage others to eliminate distractions.
“When you come in and you have a cell phone, you’re distracting me,” said Leah Hickling of Southern California TRACON, in the video. “You’re distracting everybody else that you work with. And I want to be more professional. And I don’t want your distractions.”
This story has been published jointly by the FAA and NATCA. To read more about this video, from the NATCA Insider last year, please click here.
