After complaining about forced overtime for controllers, NATCA is mad about an FAA manager at Manchester Tower who broke FAA regulations by working as an air traffic control supervisor. A controller called in sick, forcing the manager to break FAA regs governing the proper training and certification needed to supervise the tower. The alternative was spending the money to bring in a qualified employee on overtime. There were no runway incursions or other safety incidents during the time the manager supervised the tower, but NATCA said the episode was further proof that the FAA continues to cover up staffing failures of its own making and, therefore, places the traveling public at greater risk by circumventing rules designed to ensure the maximum level of safety. “The right thing is for the FAA to admit it cannot properly staff the system and stop cutting corners and breaking regulations in order to cover up its management failures,” the controllers union says.