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NATCA News Alert: MOU regarding HRPM PB #121, Temporary Increase in Annual Leave Carryover Limits under the National Defense
Brothers and Sisters, The Parties at the national level have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the implementation of Section 1111 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) enacted on Jan. 1, 2021. Section 1111 of the NDAA provides for an increase in annual leave carryover limits to 125 percent of the normal carryover amount (from 240…
NATCA Remembers Rep. Alcee L. Hastings as a Champion of Aviation Safety
WASHINGTON – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) today joins the nation and Florida’s 20th Congressional District in mourning the passing of Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, a courageous and outspoken leader who endeared himself to the aviation safety professionals in Florida and across the country by taking forceful public stands at a time when…
Insider Story Idea?
What’s happening at your facility? We want to know! Hosting a solidarity event? Participating in a charity drive? Doing something fun and interesting in your off time? We want to hear about it, and share your story with the NATCA family, via the NATCA Insider! Send your ideas and questions to publicaffairs@natcadc.org.
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Press Releases
NATCA Remembers Rep. Alcee L. Hastings as a Champion of Aviation Safety
WASHINGTON – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) today joins the nation and Florida’s 20th Congressional District in mourning the passing of Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, a courageous and outspoken leader who endeared himself to the aviation safety professionals in Florida and across the country by taking forceful public stands at a time when…
NATCA Strongly Supports Renaming Las Vegas Airport to Honor Former Nevada Senator Harry Reid
WASHINGTON – National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Paul Rinaldi today issued this statement supporting the renaming of Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) in honor of former Nevada Senator and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “We strongly support this decision. Harry Reid International Airport is a most fitting tribute to a leader who,…
NATCA Congratulates Greg Regan And Shari Semelsberger On Their Election As TTD President, Secretary-Treasurer, Respectively
WASHINGTON – National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Paul Rinaldi today issued this statement in support of Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, who were unanimously elected Wednesday as President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively, of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), by the organization’s Executive Committee. Rinaldi represents NATCA on the Executive Committee. “On behalf of NATCA…
Congressional Testimony
Podcasts
The pilot of a Piper PA-28, flying in instrument flight rules in February 2020, needed help and the controller on the other end of the microphone happened to be the perfect person for the situation: ZKC NATCA member Sarah Owens. Now in her 20th year at ZKC, Owens has been flying for the last 14 years. She flies jets, has worked for charter companies and flown around the country, and is also a flight instructor. She’s an Air Force veteran, a member of NATCA’s Air Safety Investigations Committee, and has represented NATCA at numerous pilot-controller meetings including at the annual Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh.
“She knows the checklists for those aircraft like the back of her hand,” said fellow ZKC controller Jordan Haldeman, who worked with Owens in this flight assist. “As far as a pilot being in distress, Sarah is the person you’d want on the other end. She had that all under control with the pilot in helping him run those checklists.”
Owens was working sectors 44/48 in the Trails Area. The pilot was attempting to land at Topeka Regional Airport (FOE) in Kansas but missed the approach after the first instrument landing system (ILS) attempt and was being vectored back around for another ILS. Owens noticed the pilot was descending and issued him a low altitude alert. She instructed him to climb and maintain 3,000 feet. He was at 2,000 feet. Owens worked with the pilot, advising to keep the wings level and climb.
Haldeman’s mindset was making sure that everything else was being taken care of as far as coordination with the approach control at Kansas City ATCT (MCI) and with the local towers, and evaluating weather and field conditions at all surrounding airports.
Together, Owens and Haldeman guided the pilot to a safe landing at Lawrence Smith Memorial Airport in Harrisonville, Mo., 80 miles east southeast of Topeka. For their efforts, the controllers have earned the Archie League Medal of Safety Award for the Central Region.
NATCA in the Media
Politico: FAA May Adopt Gender-Neutral Drone Language
By Stephanie Beasley The FAA has asked its drone advisory panel to explore moving away from words like “unmanned,” “manned,” “airman” and other gender-specific terms for drones as the agency and industry look to attract a more diverse and younger crop of people to the field. The agency’s Drone Advisory Committee, whose members are mostly…
Las Vegas Review-Journal: McCarran Airport name change backed by air traffic controllers
The decision to rename Las Vegas’ airport to Harry Reid International Airport is garnering national support. National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi issued a statement Wednesday backing the Clark County Commission’s unanimous decision last week to rename McCarran International Airport after the former Nevada senator. “We strongly support this decision. Harry Reid International Airport is…
ABC News: Front-line transportation workers ‘concerned’ over lack of vaccine access
For nearly a year, the job duties of aviation employees on the front lines including contact with travelers, crossing state lines and working in close proximity, have become more perilous amid a global pandemic. “The nature of our work and our facilities don’t allow for social distancing,” Jenny Benjamin an air traffic controller at the…
