Vol. 11-10 November Part 1

NATCA Members Solve Colorado Traffic Dilemma

Controllers at Denver Center have repeatedly warned the Federal Aviation Administration that winter ski country traffic in the Rocky Mountains threatens to overload the air traffic system. The FAA has implemented restrictions, but these short-term band-aid style solutions, such as rerouting aircraft, fails to address the real problem. NATCA members believe a new facility is the answer and it has made significant progress toward convincing Congress of that very idea.

What sort of disaster is NATCA attempting to avert? The type of tragedy that almost occurred in Denver, Colo., in January, 1997. Denver Center was so inundated with a complex mixture of radar and non-radar traffic that an air traffic controller failed to recognize a developing situation. Standard separation (mimimum developed by air traffic control standards to ensure aircraft do not collide) was lost between an Eagle airport departure and a Denver departure climbing toward each other. One specialist described the scenario as " . . . one error away from tragedy." He filed an unsatisfactory condition report, but the FAA has not responded. In fact, the agency gave itself five extensions dating from Jan. 17, 1997, to Nov. 1, 1997.

Although the situation at Denver Center looks as cold and bleak as the Colorado weather in winter, NATCA members developed a solution: Establish a mountain approach control facility at Grand Junction in the existing tower building. It would provide radar approach control services for Eagle, Rifle, Aspen, and Grand Junction and be staffed by controllers who work at the latter two airports.

"This facility will dramatically expand the margin of safety, improve the efficiency of the air traffic system across all of northern Colorado, bring together the most qualified personnel for the job and do so in the most cost effective manner," said Dena McClung, NATCA member at Denver Tower and state legislative coordinator. The new facility will also allow Grand Junction to remain open, saving many jobs. The tower is slated for contracting out in 1998.

The air traffic situation over central Colorado is reaching a critical level due to a massive influx of skiers, tourists and other travelers, combined with an inadequate air space configuration and limited radar coverage. "The heightened demand for air traffic services at these locations frequently exceeds the capacity of the system," said Northwest Mountain Region Vice President James Ferguson.

NATCA submitted its mountain approach proposal to the FAA as an employee suggestion, but received no response. So, union members decided to ask Congress to support the project. In September, McClung, along with Ferguson, Denver Center Controller Dave Baratta, Centennial Tower Controller and Colorado Legislative Coordinator Todd Abbotts and the NATCA Legislative Team, met with staff representing five members of the Colorado congressional delegation.

"Without your support, the FAA is not likely to consider any such change. We ask you to take action and institute this air traffic solution designed by the same air traffic controllers who will operate it," the group told congressional staffers. "The legislative aides asked us a number of tough questions," said McClung. "I had the feeling they were thinking, 'if you can convince me of this, I'll take it back to my member and tell him or her to support it.'"

NATCA members' next step is to draft a letter to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey asking her to back the project. "If she says no, we will petition a congressional member to introduce legislation which would establish a mountain approach," said McClung.

Approach services at Grand Junction are provided by controllers working nearly 300 miles away at Denver Terminal Radar Approach Control. "If the new facility was established at Grand Junction, the frequency of radar outages at that location would be greatly diminished," said McClung.

Creating a mountain approach would relieve Denver Center of the burden of serving surrounding airports and free the center controllers to concentrate on their primary concern serving en route traffic. The building could be equipped with modern technology that otherwise might be many years in coming, providing controllers with vital flight information such as altitude, airspeed, aircraft type, etc. This would be a significant change for the better in comparison to current services provided by controllers at Denver Approach. The limited radar used to serve aircraft at Grand Junction is considered obsolete by today's standards.

FAA plans to modernize terminal facilities, specifically the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, are over budget and behind schedule. But, due to the current availability of modern hardware and software in the private sector and the withdrawal of the FAA from the federal procurement process, it is possible to obtain equipment that meets, indeed, exceeds, the capabilities of traditional FAA gear. These solutions are already available and approved, and will not require years of research and development. Installation could be accomplished within a matter of months.

"NATCA's plan sufficiently addresses all issues related to a new approach such as staffing, equipment and location issues. All we need now is the go-ahead from Congress and the FAA," said Legislative Team Lead Ken Montoya. "FAA cannot afford to sit back and wait for a close call such as the one that occurred in January, 1997, to evolve into a disastrous crash. Congress and FAA must take action."

One vision of NATCA

Terry Shell, Atlanta Tower

As I sit here to write and reflect over the last 12 years, I realize the one constant in my life has been this union. I had no labor background before becoming involved with NATCA, but I knew in the very beginning that the dream of an air traffic controller union was one worth pursuing.

My understanding of the history of labor, and the tremendous pride individuals feel when they are part of an organization such as NATCA is due, in large part, to my friend Don Brown of Atlanta Center.

Don and I spent countless hours on the phone when he was in Atlanta and I was a controller at Charlotte Tower. We discussed the reasons why air traffic controllers needed an organization to represent their interests and what I could do to help make this happen. Not only did Don convince me that we needed a union, but he spent a great deal of time and energy convincing controllers throughout the Southern Region.

When the dream became a reality and NATCA became certified on June 19, 1987, we all felt a great deal of personal satisfaction. For the most part, local Federal Aviation Administration management throughout the country tried in vain to keep us from realizing our goal. No one except those of us who gave our time and energy (plus annual leave) working toward NATCA's creation ever expected it would become the powerful voice it is today.

My personal involvement began the day NATCA was certified and continues today with my assignment as NATCA's representative to the FAA's Air Traffic System Requirement Division. Throughout the years, I have had the opportunity to work with and meet a tremendous number of talented air traffic controllers and union activists. < P>NATCA's ability to recognize "what is right" and its continuing battles to ensure each and every air traffic controller is treated with the utmost respect and dignity is the foundation on which we built this union and it is what keeps it going strong.Thank you Don.  Dear NATCA members:

Throughout my two years serving as chairperson of NATCA's National Legislative Committee, I have been very proud of what members have accomplished in the legislative arena. The many challenges we have faced together helped us mature as an organization and have refined our skills as activists.

As I prepare to leave the position of NLC chair, I look back on my term and the legislative struggles that could have devastated our union. I am gratified to know that we have become stronger because of them. Working so closely with our union has also allowed me to grow as an individual and I am grateful for that opportunity. I hope I have been able to return as much as I have gained.

Most of all, I would like to thank my NATCA brothers and sisters for their overwhelming support during my term and I hope that Alan Clendenin receives the same support when he takes over in January.

Ruth Marlin

National Legislative Committee chair

New president unveils plans for NATCA's future

One on One

Many NATCA members believe the union does not communicate as effectively as it could with the membership. If you're one of these people who thirst for information, your desire should be significantly quenched after reading this month's interview conducted with NATCA President Mike McNally. Find out his views on issues such as reclassification, why the Oct. 1 implementation date was not met, and how he plans to improve communications efforts.

The Air Traffic Controller: If you could attribute one factor to your successful presidential bid, what would it be?

McNally: Randy and I ran a clean campaign, focusing on what we wanted to achieve for the membership over the next three years. They responded to that message in a positive fashion.

The Air Traffic Controller: Why do you think the response was so favorable?

McNally: I think members are looking to receive more from their union than what they have in the past 10 years. NATCA has evolved tremendously since its beginning. We began as organizers, slowly developing into a labor relations machine, and most recently emerging into a legislative and media machine. Now members are looking for positive results and a return on their investment. It's time for NATCA to deliver.

The Air Traffic Controller: What have you done to prepare for your presidency since the election?

McNally: First, I've been trying to finish the things I've had in the works as executive vice president. In preparation for my position as president, I am developing a strategy outlining the direction I would like NATCA to take in the next three years. After gaining executive board support for that plan, I will put the processes in place to make it happen.

I have also done a lot of soul searching and thought a great deal about the future and the challenges facing both NATCA and the occupation of air traffic control. As we are closing in on the year 2000, I see massive changes on our horizon. I'm trying to anticipate our future so we can prepare to meet upcoming challenges.

The Air Traffic Controller: What kind of changes do you anticipate?

McNally: I see a further attempt on the part ofCongress and the administration to contract out air traffic control services or to consider further privatization efforts. To me, that is the most dangerous possibility for the future of air traffic control.

There are also many automation reforms on the horizon. The future of automation is not all necessarily negative, but, if we're not diligent in overseeing equipment development, we may get what we don't want. This is something we need to stay on top of.

The third change is the FAA attitude toward the air traffic control workforce. Its mindset is similar to what it was immediately before President Reagan fired controllers in 1981. A major challenge for NATCA is to meet this philosophy alteration head on or steer it down a different path.

The Air Traffic Controller: What goals do you wish to accomplish as president?

McNally: As I said earlier, it is important for NATCA to start delivering returns on investment to controllers. We have to stop acting in a reactive mode, as we have in the past three years, concerning issues such as the five percent differential, chapter 71 and exemption of Title V. We need to be more proactive by obtaining items benefiting controllers and their familiesabove and beyond what they enjoy today.

The Air Traffic Controller: There is a perception in the field that NATCA holds back information from the membership. Do you believe this to be true? If so, how do you plan to improve communications?

McNally: I believe it is not only a perception, but a reality and it's an extremely difficult issue that I wrestle with daily. The membership wants to know what the union is doing for them on a regular basis, something they deserve as dues paying members. The problem we have is sharing proprietary information with the membership that may inevitably end up in the hands of the FAA. We have a constant concern the agency will obtain data, which may come back and hurt us and affect NATCA's further negotiations with the FAA. Time and time again, I have found myself in a situation where I am in the middle of a meeting with someone from the FAA who slips a piece of paper in front of me stating items being said at the national office. This hurts us tremendously because we tip our hand prior to execution of a particular plan. It's a reality we must deal with which means sometimes we may hold back critical information from the membership for fear of leakage to the FAA.

There is no question we can improve communications a very high priority for me as president. However, I think part of the process will be educating the membership concerning what types of communications they can expect from the national office. We will explain why we can't reveal specific information not because we're trying to hide it from them but because we're trying to keep it out of the FAA's hands so we are able to execute our plans more successfully. We will use all avenues available to communicate to the membership including Skytalk, the Internet, town hall meetings whatever it takes to communicate more effectively. We will always face the challenge of how to enhance communications. It will be an issue three, six and 20 years from now. We just need to always keep improving.

The Air Traffic Controller: What do you see as your greatest challenge as president?

McNally: Educating and rallying the membership and activists on issues we face, such as the safety of the air traffic control system. We also need to educate them on the proactive issues we are pursuing, such as 20-year retirement and other positive initiatives which are legislative in nature but will require the efforts of all members.

The Air Traffic Controller: The newly elected executive board is comprised of five returning members. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages to this composition?

McNally: The advantages are that the new members bring a fresh perspective to the board. Every individual ran on a specific platform he needed to bring to the table which will help shape what the executive board becomes. The only disadvantage is we are losing an enormous amount of knowledge, experience and corporate memory. However, the wisdom of the five returning members will bring sufficient expertise.

The first meeting at the beginning of October was a provisional board. Barry Krasner was still president, I was executive vice president and Randy Schwitz was executive vice president-elect. The board was still somewhat mixed until the transition took place Oct. 16. When the new board meets in November it will wrestle with NATCA's 1998 budget. I don't anticipate the new executive board being able to focus on the organization's strategic plan and long term vision until after November.

The Air Traffic Controller: What was the out-come of your meetings with FAA Administrator Jane Garvey? Do you believe NATCA will have a positive working relationship with her?

McNally: I have met with Administrator Garvey several times. I worked with many administrators prior to her and, for the first time, I am pleased with the person serving in this position. She is an extremely refreshing, personable and intelligent individual. She is very pro-labor and I sense she has a strong desire to work closely with labor groups on not just the agency's agenda but the union's as well.

The Air Traffic Controller: How, if at all, do you plan to use the media to bring air traffic control issues to the forefront?

McNally: We have proven our capability to usethe media to our benefit over the past several years and learned quite a bit through the process. I intend to continue to utilize the media, not only in a reactive mode, but to promote positive images for the air traffic control profession. I want the public to know what air traffic controllers do and that we are the ones who ensure they and their families fly safely each day.

The Air Traffic Controller: What are your plans for ensuring the implementation of reclass?

McNally: Reclass is NATCA's number one priority. Oct. 1, 1997, was the target date for implementation of reclass, but the deadline was not met because the FAA developed cold feet as we anticipated they would. The other issue was the absence of a FAA administrator from January to August 1997. Without someone at the leadership helm of the agency, it was impossible to gain a decision from the FAA concerning a dramatic agreement such as reclass. Now, that the administrator is in place, the FAA has no excuse for dragging its feet. What we are currently faced with is a failure on the FAA's part to live up to previous agreements and commitments made to the air traffic control workforce, users and flying public. It is time for NATCA to utilize the tools at hand to protect our workforce from these "broken promises" and to ensure the integrity of the air traffic control system.