U.S. Representative Sarah McBride Tours Philadelphia ATCT and TRACON

U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware recently visited Philadelphia ATCT and TRACON with some of her staffers. Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania Legislative Coordinator Izzy Bonilla (Philadelphia ATCT/TRACON, PHL) and TJ Woodyard (PHL) facilitated the tour. They started with a rundown on the hiring and training process, including what happens when a trainee arrives at a new facility. They also showed Rep. McBride and her team the tower simulator.

In the TRACON, Bonilla and Woodyard explained the Traffic Management Unit, staffing shortages, and the different sectors covered by the TRACON. At the PHL Sector, the controllers showed Rep. McBride the airspace that covers a large portion of Delaware, including arrivals and departures from Wilmington ATCT. Rep. McBride and her staffers also got to listen to some transmissions before heading to the tower.

In the tower, Rep. McBride also took the time to speak with some of her constituents who work at the facility. Rep. McBride and her team expressed deep appreciation for the work NATCA members do. They also inquired about scheduling a tour of Wilmington ATCT. They arrived as visitors and left as new friends of NATCA. 

After the visit, one of Rep. McBride’s staffers, Hattie Spector, followed up with Izzy Bonilla and NATCA’s Deputy Director of Government Affairs Tyler Longpine in a virtual meeting to see how Rep. McBride’s office can help NATCA on Capitol Hill.