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TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016 NATCA President Paul Rinaldi opened CFS 2016 with strong remarks on the need to fight complacency, and improve the status quo of our National Airspace System. Following a week of International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations meetings, Rinaldi said it could not be more clear that airspace systems are "rapidly becoming one gigantic, dynamic, global aviation system," and that we will have to modernize as a global airspace one way or another. In his remarks, Rinaldi commended the workforce for one of the safest years for air travel on record in the United States, but cautioned that while we have done a good job, now is not the time for complacency. As he has said before, "good enough is the enemy of great." He added that we must look to the future to ensure that we are keeping up with growing capacity and modernizing with the rest of the world. With everything running smoothly for now, some may question why the status quo has become unacceptable. In 2014, U.S. air traffic controllers guided 750 million passengers through our national airspace. By 2034, that number will be 1.2 billion. The capacity of our airspace is growing faster than we can imagine, and Rinaldi stressed the need for a stable, predictable funding stream to ensure that we transition into the future on solid ground with the best technology available. Around the world, air traffic control is taking advantage of advanced technology. "The rest of the modern world has moved to electronic flight strips, yet in our towers and TRACONs we're still using paper strips. Not because the technology doesn't exist, but because we don't have the funding," said Rinaldi. He advocated for a new funding stream in order to prepare for a future with saturated sectors and increased complexity. In the current system, with the FAA's budget controlled by Congress, we have seen the detrimental effects of sequestration, 24 short-term FAA Reauthorization extensions, partial government shutdowns, and full government shutdowns, all creating a culture of unpredictable, unstable funding. Without a level of certainty that comes with a dedicated funding stream, we have not been able to adequately address the challenges facing the system. Rinaldi discussed many of those challenges we face today, including inadequate staffing levels, aging infrastructure, implementing advanced technology, adding new users to the system, modernizing equipment and procedures, obtaining a stable, predictable funding stream, and the looming FAA Reauthorization. Each of these challenges requires thoughtful consideration, and a unified approach. He urged NATCA members to educate themselves, learn about these issues, take an active role in our future, and take a stand for safety. By joining us for CFS you are accepting that role to learn about the issues we face, and to help educate others about the issues you face. Setting the stage for a productive conference full of important conversations, Rinaldi said, "we must prepare for growth; we must protect the workers and by doing so protect the system as a whole. The choice is ours: stand up and build a better tomorrow! We must be proactive, strategic, and professional with addressing the changes to our National Airspace System." Today will mark the third consecutive year at CFS for Professional Risk Manager Gordon Graham. His education as a risk manager and his experience as a practicing attorney, coupled with his 33 years in California law enforcement, have resulted in his recognition as a leading professional speaker in both private and public sector organizations, with multiple areas of expertise. Graham made his first appearance at CFS in 2014, where he led a session called, "Some Thoughts for You on Real Risk Management." Graham's insight and humor paired with his wealth of knowledge made him a hit with the crowd. Back by popular demand in 2015, he gave another riveting and highly educational keynote about the "Seven Rules of Admiral Hyman Rickover." Highlights from his previous presentations include: "If you ignore the problems lying in wait, sooner or later, all the holes in the Swiss cheese will line up. And when all the holes in the Swiss cheese line up, we will have a triggering event; the cause, the tragedy and then the lawyers will get involved. And they will definitely identify the problems that were lying in wait and nobody did anything about." "The uphill battle I have is status quo. Too many people are satisfied with the status quo. Those days are gone, folks. We have got to get better and better at what we do. It's essential." "Predictable is preventable. The errors you're going to make can be predicted from the errors already made." Today Graham will discuss, "The Five Concurrent Themes for Success." With work getting more and more complex, Graham says we need a systematic approach for getting things done right. He will talk about how the discipline of risk management, coupled with an understanding of systems and complemented with customer service, accountability, and integrity, can all work together to better assure that things get done right. Graham says knowing these five themes is essential for everyone in the workplace regardless of position, job description, or type of organization. 7:30 am BREAKFAST 8:30 am WELCOME: Steve Hansen, NATCA Safety Committee Chair 8:35 am PANEL: Remote Tower Systems 9:35 am PANEL: Pilot/Controller Communications 10:40 am BREAK 11:25 am PANEL: Challenges of Integrating UAS into the NAS 12:30 pm AWARDS LUNCHEON 1:45 pm PANEL: Aviation Weather 2:45 pm BREAK 3:30 pm PRESENTATION: Gordon Graham 5:30 pm MEET & GREET: CFS Sponsors & Exhibitors For full agenda, see page 16 TUESDAY, MARCH 22 Make sure to download the NEW CFS App from your device's app store! Back For a Third Time, MmHm! Gordon Graham: NATCA President Paul Rinaldi Gordan Graham Rinaldi Makes the Case for Stable, Predictable Funding for the National Airspace System KEYNOTE:

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