NATCA Begins its "Fly Us Safe" Campaign

[Mark Zameda 810257]

In the spirit of all of us who are would-be controllers or aviation enthusiasts, I wanted to share with you NATCA's new campaign - "Fly us Safe." NATCA is attempting to educate the general public as to the mounting problem that the FAA and air traffic controllers face. The picture being painted is relatively grim, however if we can rally up support through writing our local politicians, we may be able to stave something drastic happening.

 

There are links to write to your representatives, all you need to do is fill in the blanks and an email is sent to your local polititcian. If you don't wish to take a part in notifying your representative that they need to look at this problem, before it blows up, then I ask you simply educate yourself to the problem and read the articles on the website.

 

The website is http://www.natca.org/flyussafe/default.msp

 

Thank you in advance everyone for your support,

 

Mark Zameda

vZAU ATM

[Brad Littlejohn]

Here is what I would like to know...

 

What would NATCA like to do/see have done, that will solve these problems. Hire more controllers? there are those who would jump at this, but are disqualified because of the prerequisites. what does NATCA want to see done about it?

 

change Prereqs?

resolve scheduling conflicts?

outsource (read: contract controllers)?

 

before we can really do any lobbying, we need their best case/dream resolution. They've already painted us the worst.

 

BL.

[Kevin Noe 895858]

This is only going to get a lot worse than better and its going to take something bad to happen to get anything done.

 

Brad what prereqs do you want them to change. You no longer have to be a CTI grad but the age is still 31. I am not sure if you noticed that the faa has been doing job fairs for hard to staff centers around the US. So basicly anyone right off the street has the chance to get hired. Not sure if they will or when but from what i have heard they are moving poeple along with it.

[Mark Zameda 810257]

Brad,

 

Had you read the site, and educated yourself on the articles contained within it, you'd see that NATCA is not proposing any "dreams." They are trying to make sure our National Airspace System can remain the safest ATC system in the world. The point of the campaign is to show that things which should have been done years ago, are STILL not being done.

 

Mark Zameda

vZAU ATM

[Josh Hjemvick 811983]

As a happy supporter of my future union, I'm in and have been from the start. Been making calls for the past week or so now.

[Brad Littlejohn]

Brad,

 

Had you read the site, and educated yourself on the articles contained within it, you'd see that NATCA is not proposing any "dreams." They are trying to make sure our National Airspace System can remain the safest ATC system in the world. The point of the campaign is to show that things which should have been done years ago, are STILL not being done.

 

Mark Zameda

vZAU ATM

 

Oh, I agree, they want things to be safe, which I am wholeheartedly for. I believe they are bound by government regs, but the age requirement really stifles their candidate pool for controllers. It really gives them a short range for people to get into the field, and get considered to even get hired. If the FAA were already considering to raise the retirement age, it would only be logical to raise the maximum age for hiring. I just want to know what NATCA would like to see done. That way we have both sides,and could lobby for the compromise in the middle that would benefit both the government, and NATCA.

 

BL.

[Mark Zameda 810257]

Brad,

 

If you would like more inforamation about the age 31 requirement, please visit this site:

 

http://www.faa.gov/ahr/policy/hrpm/emp/emp-1-20.cfm

 

Now, [Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming you're not just playing devil's advocate, it sounds to me like you simply would like to see the age requirement taken out. I'll say it one last time to read the website. Even the articles there state - we have the controllers in the pool ITCHING to get hired. The FAA is not hiring them. They hired a couple dozen controllers nationwide this last fiscal year. Next year they plan to hire 500 controllers (give or take). In these last two years we'll have lost close to 1000 controllers nationwide. We currently have a pool of over 700 CTI Graduates trying to get hired into the Southern Region. Mind you, this last bit came from a friend who is trying to get hired into the Southern Region. He was told he'd have to wait until at least 2007.

 

I can see why you may be concerned about the age requirement, but the argument barely holds water when you consider how many people who fit the age requirement really want the job.

 

Mark Zameda

vZAU ATM

[Jay Shepherd 919640]

I believe a decent compromise would be to lower the workload on current controllers. This can include anywhere from hiring new controllers, to limiting in some way the amount of planes in the air.

 

I read on that site that the FAA planned on increasing airspace 3 fold. Perhaps they shouldn't go ahead with this plan right now.

[Josh Hjemvick 811983]

I believe a decent compromise would be to lower the workload on current controllers. This can include anywhere from hiring new controllers, to limiting in some way the amount of planes in the air.

 

I read on that site that the FAA planned on increasing airspace 3 fold. Perhaps they shouldn't go ahead with this plan right now.

 

Usually the common sense answer, is the answer the FAA turns their back on. Not sure exactly what you mean by increasing airspace 3 fold, or if you are talking about one of the nasty rumors concerning super centers. . . where it is only three enroute facilities across the US. One on the east coast, central states, and west coast. Bad idea for a number of reasons, but I won't go into it as it is unlikely response in the long term.