NATCA Bookshelf

20 COMMUNICATING FOR SAFETY • 2023 For Reference What's in a Name? Information about the FAA's Air Traffic Organization (ATO) The Air Traffic Organization (ATO) in the Federal Aviation Administration is FAA's largest line of business and is responsible for operating the National Airspace System (NAS). The ATO oversees eight Service Units, which are: • Air Traffic Services (AJT) • Flight Program Operations (AJF) • Management Services (AJG) • Mission Support Services (AJV) • Program Management Organization (AJM) • Safety and Technical Training (AJI) • System Operations Services (AJR) • Technical Operations (AJW) Some examples of organizations outside the ATO include: • Aviation Safety (AVS) • Airports (ARP) • Commercial Space Transportation (AST) • NextGen Air Transportation System (ANG) Managing the world's safest and most complex aviation system is obviously no small feat and requires a lot of organizations, each tasked with a specific function to support the FAA's overall mission. To ensure communication and tasks are sent to the appropriate office of primary responsibility, the FAA established a routing symbol system some fifty years ago, which is still used today. Example: Mission Support Services (AJV) Agency Organization Service Unit A J V The ATO Air Traffic Services (AJT) provides safe, secure, and efficient management for the National Airspace System and international airspace assigned to U.S. control. Air Traffic Services controls more than 5 million square miles of airspace in the U.S. and more than 24 million square miles over oceans. AJT is responsible for Airport Traffic Control Towers (Federal and Contract), Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities, Air Route Traffic Control Centers, and Combined Control Facilities to guide aircraft through their various phases of flight. The ATO Safety & Technical Training (AJI) influences and addresses risk in the NAS through aligning data-driven changes in the operation, modernizing training to educate and prepare the ATO's technical workforce by focusing on timely delivery, operational priorities, and competencies, monitoring mitigations and changes in the NAS, and informs stakeholders of our successful strategies to meet ATO's safety goals. Safety functions include event investigation, data analysis, corrective actions, training for over 14,000 air traffic controllers and over 6,000 airway transportation system specialists, policy development, performance measurement, and promotion of a positive safety culture. Letter "A" FAA Letter "J" ATO Letter "V" Mission Support Services

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