A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/913906
This update cycle was very busy, due to a significant spike in Commercial Space Integration activities. The Commercial Space Integration Team (CSIT) met on October 24. Among the priorities of this t eam are finalizing a JO 7400.2 Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters change scheduled for March 2018, scheduling Commercial Space Aviation Rulemaking Committees (ARCs) that will address Airspa ce Access Priorities and Spaceport Categorization, and finalizing an ATO CSIT Charter. I participated in a SRMP on Launch and Recovery Aircraft Hazard Areas on Oct . 25, along with Mark Prestrude and En route SME representatives from ZNY and ZJX. The Spac e Integration Stakeholder Forum was conducted on Oct . 26. This is an effort out of AJV - 7 to organize the various Commercial Space Teams into a coherent effort that can be managed using Problem Cause Impact (PCI) Analysis. On Oct . 27, MITRE held its quart erly Aviation Advisory Committee meeting in at MITRE HQ in McLean, Va., which NATCA attended. This group is widely attended by industry - both airline and GA - as well as FAA and MITRE leadership. A variety of aviation topics were briefed out including ADS - B equipage rates, airline fleet mix changes and profitability metrics, and potential improvements to ATC recruitment using cognitive screening. On Nov . 1, the Joint Space Operations Group (JSpOG) met at the ATCSCC in Warrenton. Among the topics discusse d at this meeting were updates on upcoming launch events and the status of various LOAs with Space Operators. Nov . 6 was the kick - off for the semi - annual Program Management Review series at FAA HQ. For the subsequent two weeks, FAA Program Managers prese nt status updates on their NextGen Programs. On Nov . 7, NATCA participated in the regular monthly CDM Collaborative Steering Group (CSG) at the ATCSCC. Nov . 8 and 9 were Commercial Space Industry Days in D.C. Space X, Sierra Nevada, Virgin Galactic, Bl ue Origin and other Commercial Space entrants were in attendance and made presentations on their respective Concept of Launch and Recovery Operations to the group. The increasing tempo of launch and recovery operations was one the hot topics, as was how to more effectively and efficiently segregate Space Ops from Legacy NAS operations. On Day 2, opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Tim Arel, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, ATO, who expressed the FAA Administrator's commitment on accelerating the acceptan ce of new technologies such as Drones and Space Ops into the NAS. NextGen's Philip Bassett made a presentation that highlighted Aircraft Hazard Area design. MITRE made a presentation on Data Sharing, and Greg Byus from the ATCSCC made a presentation on the Collaborative Decision Making process and advantages of including Space Operators in the CDM process. Also, on Nov . 9, Jeff Woods and I met with Assistant Administrator for Next G en (acting) Pamela Whitely to discuss deployment of Trajectory Based Operat ions into the NAS and associated Human Factors issues. On Nov . 15, the Space Integration Enhancements