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4 COMMUNICATING FOR SAFETY • 2023 Welcome W e would like to extend our warmest welcome to NATCA's 2023 Communicating for Safety Conference. Over two decades ago, NATCA embarked on a mission to create a platform that fosters open dialogue and the exchange of ideas surrounding aviation safety. Today, we can proudly say that this event has become that platform. Since its inception in 1999, CFS has brought aviation professionals from around the world together to discuss our shared challenges. Today, 24 years later, it is truly an honor to be part of this remarkable event that has become the premier aviation safety conference globally. The heart of this conference lies in the general sessions held in the main hall. Here, we delve into every facet of a safe and efficient air transportation system. We have an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers, including Dr. John Thomas, Executive Director of MIT's Partnership for Systems Approaches to Safety and Security; Richard McSpadden, Senior Vice President of AOPA's Air Safety Institute; the Honorable Jennifer Homendy, National Transportation Safety Board Chair; Dr. Amy Grubb, who works with the FBI and is an internationally recognized expert on leadership, change, collaboration, engagement, performance, and organizational culture; and Polly Trottenberg, FAA Administrator (Acting). Throughout the coming days, you also will be exposed to the expertise of NATCA's Article 114 representatives, their FAA counterparts, and industry representatives. These professionals will highlight their pivotal roles in maintaining and operating our aviation system. The aviation industry is vast and complex, comprising a multitude of technologies and programs that shape the way we operate and ensure safety in the skies. The CFS exhibition hall is a testament to this dynamism, highlighting both emerging technologies and ongoing modernization projects. We encourage each one of you to explore this space, engage with our NATCA Article 114 Representatives, FAA program managers, and conference sponsors. These interactions will provide you with insights into the current and future capabilities that will undoubtedly influence the trajectory of your careers. For those of you who are attending this conference for the first time, welcome. You are part of an exciting journey that begins here. Embrace this opportunity and seek ways to actively participate and engage. Roughly 35% of our attendees are first timers, so you're not alone in embarking on this experience. As we gather here, we are standing at a crossroads that brings with it new leadership appointments, the impending FAA authorization expiration, and the culmination of the NextGen modernization program. Over the past decade, we've seen the successful integration of NextGen elements, laying the foundation for the transformation of our National Airspace System (NAS). The decade ahead poses new challenges and opportunities that we must collectively address. The strength of NATCA lies in its unified voice, a powerful labor force operating in the most intricate airspace, bound together by an unwavering commitment to safety. From historical tools like flags and grease pencils to cutting-edge digital systems, air traffic controllers remain a constant, the human element ensuring the safety of our skies. As we navigate this pivotal moment, we eagerly anticipate the appointment of a new administrator and the renewal of FAA authorization. These strategic developments will shape our trajectory over the next five years. Additionally, over the next year or two we will see the NextGen modernization program winding down, a program that many of you have grown up with. A $40 billion, 20-year vision that has significantly transformed our industry. Amidst these transitions, our leadership, membership, and NATCA staff are diligently communicating our goals to guide the processes of change. Rich Santa President John Murdock Chair, NATCA Safety Committee Andrew LeBovidge Executive Vice President Tom Adcock, Director, NATCA Safety & Technology Dept. Welcome to Communicating for Safety 2023!

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