A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/626428
Sarah McCann : smccann@natcadc.org ; 202 - 220 - 9813 Multimedia Specialist Jordan Thielker : jthielker@natcadc.org ; 202 - 266 - 9875 Communications Specialist Sarah Zilonis : szilonis@natcadc.org ; 202 - 266 - 9844. WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM ATO COO TERI L. BRISTOL A New Year of Initiative Hi everyone. I hope everyone had a Happy New Year. I'd like to start 2016 off by discussing some of the efforts we'll be making this year in support of the FAA's four strategic initiatives. ( Watch Teri Bristol ' s ATO COO Weekly Message - A New Year of Initiative .) This year, in support of risk - based decision - making , we ' re developing and implementing corrective actions against our 2016 Top 5 hazard list. These hazards include ones associated with helicopter operations, visual scanning by controllers, and access to weather information for controllers, along with two haz ards associated with wake turbulence. We ' re also continuing to address national emphasis items that focus on weather dissemination and IFR to VFR situational awareness. These are items we know will help improve safety, and they are things controllers and m anagers can address right now. NATCA and management are working together to develop briefings and training and share positive techniques. In addition, to ensure runway safety, we're going to take action this year on the detailed risk mitigation plans we de veloped stemming from last June's Runway Safety Call to Action. For NextGen modernization, we will install or upgrade STARS at nearly 120 facilities, including large TRACONs like New York, Chicago and Potomac, and their associated towers. Also, we'll conti nue to work with our labor and industry partners on our four NextGen priority areas. This work includes deploying Data Communications departure clearance services at additional towers, as well as expanding performance based navigation, improving surface op erations, and making multiple run way operations more efficient. To enhance our global leadership in 2016, we'll focus on the agency's new Caribbean initiative. We have a vested interest in making sure that Caribbean airspace is safe and efficient. Million s of Americans fly there, accounting for 17% of all U.S. outbound passengers, and we expect air traffic in this region to grow significantly. We also have a vested interest because the FAA manages airspace over many areas of the Caribbean from our Miami an d San Juan control centers. This new initiative includes redesigning airspace in FAA - controlled areas and working with our Caribbean air navigation service partners to improve air traffic flow management and collaborative decision - making. This year, we'll be working to establish partnership agreements with key stakeholders and Caribbean service providers, as well as developing our initial implementation plans. Of course, our people are the driving force behind our success. So we must continue to invest in t he professional development of our workforce. One of the new efforts this year is called Continuous Leadership Development, or CLD. It has three important initiatives. The first is Leaders Teaching Leaders, a training led by senior