On This Day in 1985, NATCA’s Logo Was Adopted
On this day in 1985, NATCA’s logo was adopted during one of our Union’s initial organizing meetings. 40 years later, we still use the same logo!
The origins of the logo trace back to 1984, when a Providence ATCT (PVD) controller sketched a logo for the American Air Traffic Controller Council’s (AATCC) regional newsletter. Just like the NATCA logo we know today, the AATCC logo featured a circular radarscope and a tower anchoring the organization’s acronym.
In December 1985, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) officially took over organizing air traffic controllers. Organizers decided to change the name of the proposed union to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) – a title first used by Washington Center (ZDC) controllers in 1983 during their attempt to organize a single-facility union.
On Dec. 5, 1985, organizers developed NATCA’s new logo, marrying the old AATCC logo with the newly adopted NATCA acronym.
Just a couple weeks later, on Dec. 16, 1985, organizers discussed plans to form a new labor union for air traffic controllers. The group adopted NATCA’s logo as an official emblem for their new organization.
The evolution of the logo, from 1984 to now:
