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National Air Traffic Controllers Association

NATCA is a labor union and aviation safety organization in the United States that represents nearly 20,000 highly skilled air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals. NATCA was certified in 1987 by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to be the exclusive bargaining representative for air traffic controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Today, NATCA is one of the strongest labor unions in the federal sector and represents a range of aviation safety professionals in 15 FAA bargaining units, five Department of Defense air traffic facilities, and 123 federal contract towers. These air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals make vital contributions to the U.S. economy and make modern life possible by coordinating the safe, orderly, and expeditious movement of nearly one billion aviation passengers and millions of tons of freight within the National Airspace System each year. NATCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

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Benefits

NATCA Benefits Partners with Cambridge Financial

NATCA Benefits is pleased to offer the services of Cambridge Financial to our Union’s members! They are well versed in our unique career fields and ready to serve. Visit www.NATCABENEFITS.org and find the “Cambridge Financial” logo under the “Financial/Retirement” tab and enjoy!

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NATCA Benefits Offers Discounts at Great Wolf Lodge

NATCA Benefits wants to save you money on a great family getaway this winter! You’re going to love sliding down their waterslides, eating at their fantastic restaurants, and building family traditions with Great Wolf Lodge! Visit www.NATCABENEFITS.org and find the “Great Wolf Lodge” logo under the “Entertainment” tab. Make sure you are signed in to…

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Events

Spotlight

Get To Know NATCA’s National Legislative Committee Chair David Skarphol

Relationship building is at the core of NATCA’s legislative activism. Earlier this year David Skarphol (Phoenix TRACON, P50) stepped up as the chair of NATCA’s National Legislative Committee (NLC), leading the team that coordinates and facilitates NATCA members’ legislative training and relationships with members of Congress. Today we take a moment to introduce Skarphol and…

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Aviation Facts

Fact: The United States aviation system is an economic driver, contributing 5.2 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product, and generating nearly 11 million jobs.

5,400

Aircraft in the sky at peak operational times

44,500,000,000

Pounds of freight moving through the National Airspace System each year

Current Traffic

Tracking 10,677 airborne aircraft with 636,859,278 total flights in the database. FlightAware has tracked 113,709 arrivals in the last 24 hours.

Aviation Acronyms

Learn acronyms used by safety professionals nationwide:

All A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W
There are 151 acronyms in this directory beginning with the letter A.
Term
Definition
A/C
Aircraft
A/G
Air to Ground
A/H
Altitude/Height
AAC
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
AAF
Army Air Field
AAI
Arrival Aircraft Interval
AAP
Advanced Automation Program
AAR
Airport Acceptance Rate
ABDIS
Automated Data Interchange System Service B
AC
Advisory Circular
ACAIS
Air Carrier Activity Information System
ACAS
Aircraft Collision Avoidance System
ACC
Airports Consultants Council
ACCT
Accounting Records
ACD
Automatic Call Distributor
ACDO
Air Carrier District Office
ACF
Area Control Facility
ACFO
Aircraft Certification Field Office
ACFT
Aircraft
ACI-NA
Airports Council International - North America
ACID
Aircraft Identification
ACIP
Airport Capital Improvement Plan
ACLS
Automatic Carrier Landing System
ACLT
Actual Landing Time Calculated
ACO
Office of Airports Compliance and Field Operations
ACRP
Airport Cooperative Research Program
ADA
Air Defense Area
ADAP
Airport Development Aid Program
ADAS
AWOS Data Acquisition System
ADCCP
Advanced Data Communications Control Procedure
ADDA
Administrative Data
ADF
Automatic Direction Finding
ADG
Airplane Design Group
ADI
Automatic De-Ice and Inhibitor
ADIN
AUTODIN Service
ADIZ
Air Defense Identification Zone
ADL
Aeronautical Data-Link
ADLY
Arrival Delay
ADO
Airline Dispatch Office
ADP
Automated Data Processing
ADS
Automatic Dependent Surveillance
ADS-B
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
ADSIM
Airfield Delay Simulation Model
ADSY
Administrative Equipment Systems
ADTN
Administrative Data Transmission Network
ADTN2000
Administrative Data Transmission Network 2000
ADVO
Administrative Voice
AEG
Aircraft Evaluation Group
AERA
Automated En-Route Air Traffic Control
AEX
Automated Execution
AF
Airway Facilities
AFB
Air Force Base
AFIS
Automated Flight Inspection System
AFP
Area Flight Plan
AFRES
Air Force Reserve Station
AFS
Airways Facilities Sector
AFSFO
AFS Field Office
AFSFU
AFS Field Unit
AFSOU
AFS Field Office Unit (Standard is AFSFOU)
AFSS
Automated Flight Service Station
AFTN
Automated Fixed Telecommunications Network
AGIS
Airports Geographic Information System
AGL
Above Ground Level
AID
Airport Information Desk
AIG
Airbus Industries Group
AIM
Airman's Information Manual
AIP
Airport Improvement Plan
AIRMET
Airmen's Meteorological Information
AIRNET
Airport Network Simulation Model
AIS
Aeronautical Information Service
AIT
Automated Information Transfer
ALP
Airport Layout Plan
ALS
Approach Lighting System
ALSF1
ALS with Sequenced Flashers I
ALSF2
ALS with Sequenced Flashers II
ALSIP
Approach Lighting System Improvement Plan
ALTRV
Altitude Reservation
AMASS
Airport Movement Area Safety System
AMCC
ACF/ARTCC Maintenance Control Center
AMOS
Automated Meteorological Observation Station
AMP
ARINC Message Processor (OR) Airport Master Plan
AMVER
Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System
ANC
Alternate Network Connectivity
ANCA
Airport Noise and Capacity Act
ANG
Air National Guard
ANGB
Air National Guard Base
ANMS
Automated Network Monitoring System
ANSI
American National Standards Group
AOA
Air Operations Area
AP
Acquisition Plan
APP
Approach
APS
Airport Planning Standard
AQAFO
Aeronautical Quality Assurance Field Office
ARAC
Army Radar Approach Control (AAF)
ARC
Airport Reference Code
ARCTR
FAA Aeronautical Center or Academy
ARF
Airport Reservation Function
ARFF
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting
ARINC
Aeronautical Radio, Inc.
ARLNO
Airline Office
ARO
Airport Reservation Office
ARP
Airport Reference Point
ARRA
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
ARSA
Airport Service Radar Area
ARSR
Air Route Surveillance Radar
ARTCC
Air Route Traffic Control Center
ARTS
Automated Radar Terminal System
ASAS
Aviation Safety Analysis System
ASC
AUTODIN Switching Center
ASCP
Aviation System Capacity Plan
ASD
Aircraft Situation Display
ASDA
Accelerate — Stop Distance Available
ASLAR
Aircraft Surge Launch And Recovery
ASM
Available Seat Mile
ASOS
Automatic Surface Observation System
ASP
Arrival Sequencing Program
ASQP
Airline Service Quality Performance
ASR
Airport Surveillance Radar
ASTA
Airport Surface Traffic Automation
ASV
Annual Service Volume
AT
Air Traffic
ATA
Air Transport Association of America
ATAS
Airspace and Traffic Advisory Service
ATC
Air Traffic Control
ATCAA
Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace
ATCBI
Air Traffic Control Beacon Indicator
ATCCC
Air Traffic Control Command Center
ATCO
Air Taxi Commercial Operator
ATCRB
Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon
ATCRBS
Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System
ATCSCC
Air Traffic Control Systems Command Center
ATCT
Airport Traffic Control Tower
ATIS
Automated Terminal Information Service
ATISR
ATIS Recorder
ATM
Air Traffic Management
ATMS
Advanced Traffic Management System
ATN
Aeronautical Telecommunications Network
ATODN
AUTODIN Terminal (FUS)
ATOMS
Air Traffic Operations Management System
ATOVN
AUOTVON (Facility)
ATS
Air Traffic Service
ATSCCP
ATS Contingency Command Post
AUTODIN
DoD Automatic Digital Network
AUTOVON
DoD Automatic Voice Network
AVN
Aviation Standards National Field Office, Oklahoma City
AVON
AUTOVON Service
AWIS
Airport Weather Information
AWOS
Automated Weather Observation System
AWP
Aviation Weather Processor
AWPG
Aviation Weather Products Generator
AWS
Air Weather Station

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