PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
BY THE NUMBERS
15,843: Total NATCA members (as of July 28, 2019).
NOTABLE RECENT PRESS CLIPPINGS
EAA AirVenture Today
"You Don't Have to be Lonely"
By Richard Kennington, NATCA Portland ATCT (PDX) FacRep
A 2018 survey conducted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association asked pilots, "Do
you avoid using ATC services, and if so, why?" NATCA was surprised at the number of pilots in
the general aviation community who preferred to go it alone rather than use the services of air
traffic controllers. Others participated only when they had no other option. In other words, these
pilots had no relationship with air traffic controllers.
The FAA is certainly no matchmaking entity! The Agency doesn't need to know whether you
prefer the farm life or long walks on the beach. Pilots will benefit from, at the very least, an
acquaintance with ATC. All pilots should have a basic understanding of how the ATC system
works, have the knowledge and skills to operate in it efficiently, and gain the trust in controllers
that one day could be their link to life. Read more
National Interest .org
(Featuring Brian Shul, a scheduled keynote speaker at NATCA CFS 2019 in September)
SR-71 Blackbird Pilot Tells Story of His Famed Ground Speed Check
"'Center, Aspen 20, you got a ground speed readout for us?' There was a longer than normal
pause … "Aspen, I show 1,942 knots." No further inquiries were heard on that frequency."
COMMUNICATING FOR SAFETY 2019
(Sept. 16-18, Bally's Las Vegas)
Every Day is a Training Day: Whether it is new procedures, new equipment, or new rules,
training is a part of a continuous self-improvement process, from the time an aviation safety
professional begins their career, to the time they retire. With a constant focus on improving our
performance, we can make sure we are always operating at peak levels whenever we plug in.
It's only by making every day a training day that we can make sure that excellence is the norm,
and not the deviation.
Watch Gordon Graham video | Register for CFS
ARCHIE LEAGUE MEDAL OF SAFETY AWARDS: NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED
The nomination period for the next awards program is open. Any flight assist that occurred since
May 1, 2019 is eligible to be nominated. These will be saves considered by our awards
selection panel one year from now, in 2020.
More Information | Nomination form
YOUR NATCA.org WEBSITE – HELPING YOU FIND WHAT YOU NEED
• NCEPT: To access our NCEPT page on the members side of natca.org, which includes
the updated Priority Placement Tool, updated Facility Status Priority, and more, please
click here.
• Directory of NATCA Reps (including your national, regional, and local reps):
Please click here.
