NATCA Bookshelf

35 NextGen Now | Winter 2014 (SMEs) to work with representatives from the aviation industry in the effort to identify the focus areas with milestones and integrated plans in the following areas: • Closely Spaced Parallel Runways/Multiple Runway Operations (MRO) • Controller-Pilot DataComm • Performance Based Navigation (PBN) • Airport Surface and Data Sharing This NIWG effort was unique in the unprecedented level of collaboration and transparency between the FAA and the aviation community. Industry volunteers and FAA SMEs worked through tough issues, made difficult compromises, and produced an integrated implementation plan and recommendations for tracking progress, mitigating risks, and leveraging opportunities along the way. Without the leadership of the FAA's Assistant Administrator for NextGen, Ed Bolton; Chief Operating Officer, Teri Bristol; Associate Administrator and Deputy Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Peggy Gilligan and John Hickey; Retired Chairman and CEO for Alaska Air Group, Bill Ayer; Senior Vice President of Flight Operations for Delta Air Lines, Steve Dickson; and Vice President of Government Affairs for AOPA, Melissa Rudinger, this initiative would not have been possible. And without representatives and stakeholders like NATCA, who have been an integral and constructive part of this prioritization, collaboration would not have been possible. Success will get us over the tipping point leading to renewed confidence and continued investment in this important national program. The stakeholders are committed to ensuring the success of this initiative, as manifested by their agreement to keep the NIWG leadership team in place as we work together to accomplish all we set out to do together in the next three years. We have a joint agreement to hold ourselves accountable to commitments, to track progress, to leverage opportunities, and to identify problems early and resolve them together. As the immediate past NAC Chairman, Bill Ayer explained, "We anticipate that this new model of engagement will become the standard for future NextGen initiatives."

• Cover