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Air traffic controllers falling asleep on duty may sound like a disaster movie set-up, but recent headlines have shown that it's a real life dilemma that is more than just an isolated incident. "I suspect that this has been a problem for years, but now has become a politically sensitive issue," says David Norton, a Dallas aviation attorney and pilot. "But even though controllers need to be awake and alert on the job, these planes are not going to suddenly tumble out of the sky if they do nod off." As a pilot, he says he does have sympathy for the controllers who face schedule shifts that make it "enormously difficult to regulate your circadian rhythms. However, these are professionals. They should know what they need to do to control their personal schedules so that they show up to work refreshed and ready to fulfill their scheduled shift," says Norton, a partner at Shackelford, Melton & McKinley. For more information, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.