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T U E S D AY, M A R C H 2 2 , 2 0 1 6 N AT C A D A I LY D I S PAT C H 3 ✈ 8:35 am Remote Tower Systems MODERATORS: Jeff Woods PMO Rep., NATCA Jennifer Post Director, Air Traffi c Services, ATO ✈ 9:35 am Pilot/Controller Communications MODERATOR: Andy Marosvari Procedures Rep., NATCA ✈ 11:25 am Challenges of Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the NAS MODERATOR: Steve Weidner UAS Rep., NATCA ✈ 1:45 pm Aviation Weather MODERATORS: Jim Ullmann Deputy Director of Safety & Technology, NATCA Terry Biggio Vice President of Safety and Technical Training, ATO Remote Tower Services system technology holds great potential. Today's panel discussion, moderated by NATCA Program Management Organization (PMO) Representative Jeff Woods and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Director of Air Traffic Services Jennifer Post, will explore appropriate testing and development necessary to ensure its safe integration. NATCA, with safety as its top priority, has proudly participated in testing the country's first remote tower at Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO) in Virginia. First stage testing at Leesburg included passive monitoring during a four-month phase that ended in November 2015. System developer Saab-Sensis presented the data to the FAA for approval in order to move on to the next phase, which will include active controlling. This technology is being tested and deployed worldwide. Sweden is already working an airport via remote tower technology, with plans to remotely control three more. NATCA views remote tower systems as cutting-edge technology that gives the U.S. aviation industry the ability to expand air traffic control services where they are not currently provided, and provide a better margin of safety at non-towered airports. NATCA sees versatility in remote tower technology. For example, in radar rooms, this technology could be used to provide a picture for controllers working approach so they can see aircraft they've cleared for an instrument approach to a non-towered airport actually touch down and turn off the runway. This will help controllers provide quicker and more efficient direction to other aircraft on approach. One of the most entertaining, engaging, and informative discussions each year at Communicating for Safety is a panel that goes to the core mission and purpose of the annual event – analyzing pilot/controller communications, addressing the challenges that arise, and taking steps to improve communication with safety as the guiding principle. Today's panel will be composed of veteran pilot John Drexler from the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), Andy Marosvari and Jennie Sandland from NATCA, Dave Callen, police sergeant and helicopter pilot for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Southwest Airlines pilot John Peschio, and Paul Flynn of NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP). The panel will address a wide array of topics, such as weather, airspace issues, and procedures. The discussion will also present an in-depth perspective from pilots of their view of controllers and give them an opportunity to pose questions to the largest gathering of controllers in one room all year. What are the pilots' biggest pet peeves? What do controllers do that is most helpful? These and many other questions will be discussed. In a system as complicated as the National Airspace System (NAS), integrating new technology takes intentional, concerted effort and planning across government, labor, industry, and commercial interest groups. The full potential for innovation with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is yet to be seen, but the potential for creating unsafe flying conditions is also extremely high. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 mandated the FAA develop a plan to integrate UAS into the NAS. The diversity of platforms is staggering, ranging from aircraft that will fit in the palm of your hand to aircraft with a wingspan the size of a Boeing 737. As UAS become more widely available, integrating all of these platforms into the NAS presents very unique challenges. Join us this morning for a panel moderated by Steve Weidner, NATCA's UAS Representative, with Marke "Hoot" Gibson, FAA Senior Advisor on UAS Integration; Steve Pennington, Executive Director, Department of Defense Policy Board on FAA; Parimal Kopardekar, Manager, State Autonomous System Operations, NASA; Keziah Ogutu, IFATCA Executive Vice President, Africa & Middle East; and Travis Mason, Chief of Staff, Project Wing. These panelists represent a wide range of UAS proponents, each of whom brings a unique perspective on the challenges, opportunities, and successes in the UAS industry. They will provide a global understanding of the challenges ahead and how best to meet them, as UAS become part of everyday life. This afternoon, NATCA Deputy Director of Safety and Technology Jim Ullmann and FAA Vice President of Safety and Technical Training Terry Biggio will lead a panel discussing the importance of communicating weather information among pilots and controllers. Ullmann says that through this panel, he hopes to raise awareness about the importance of air traffic controllers issuing the weather information they have to pilots. "Neither the pilot nor the controller have all the information and we need to work together to complete the picture for the pilots so they can make a decision based on all available information," he says. The panel will also discuss a new weather awareness campaign, "Take a Stand for Safety: Weather, Complete the Picture," created by the FAA and NATCA. Joining Ullmann and Biggio on the stage will be Matt Tucker, National Weather Representative, NATCA; Bruce Landsberg, Senior Safety Advisor, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute; Mike Schilz, Safety Information Analysis Programs, ALPA; and Matt Cabak, Safety Focal for SUPCOM, ATO. PANEL PREVIEWS When in doubt, fi ll it out! That's our simple message for NATCA members. The purpose of these programs is clear: Give employees an avenue to resolve safety concerns without fear of retaliation or discipline. But these programs are nothing without participation from employees. We strongly encourage all a ected bargaining unit employees to fi le reports about safety concerns they have. We know they are out there, and we want to hear about them so the process can begin to address them and resolve them. It's very important. WHEN IN DOUBT, FILL IT OUT! TUESDAY: SAFETY REPORTING SPOTLIGHT: atsapsafety.com facilitysafety.org safer-ftc.org AIR SRP

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