A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/937821
What we found by working together with our colleagues in air traffic, technical operations and program management there is that we were doing a lot of the right things, like attending various work group and subcommittee meetings. But that wasn't giving us a common understanding of all the ways that construction, modernization, and other complexities were combining to impact one another. As a result, our Systems Operations unit set up a program integration office there to help our local leaders be more effective in the collaborative work they were already doing. We also held three summits to identify mitigating measures. The outcome has been terrific. We have coalesced with other stakeholders including airlines, the airport, construction crews and other ATO service units to share information, coordinate timing, and create a consistent vision that helps planning and operational efficiency nationally. One specific way ATO's more formal involvement has helped is that we had important input into where new taxiways would be built, a decision that is going to lead to greater efficiency both during and after construction. We've been working collaboratively with the airlines to mitigate delays. One way we did that was to facilitate Delta Airlines in moving its gates from a congested south complex area of LAX to a north terminal, and that was a great move for them and for us. We worked with Southern California Air Traffic Facilities Work Group to agree on greater throughput capacity despite all the construction. We reduced delays by 84 percent between the closure of runway 25R in April to the closure of Runway 24R in October. There's also a new NFL stadium going up a couple miles away and we have already mitigated radar interference with Wide Area Multi-lateration and other tools. These kinds of interactions are crucial because airfield construction is going to be an ongoing issue in Los Angeles for years to come. But now, when another runway is taken out of use for repair at LAX, like it was last Saturday, I'm a lot less worried about the impact that will have on our operation. And we will be able to apply these important experiences to other complex areas like the Northeast Corridor. A lesson we can all learn is more transparency across the board can result in a much more cooperative environment and better results. Feb. 2, 2018 Airspace Choreography Even the Halftime Show Performers Will Find Impressive Hi everyone, More than 100 million people are expected to watch the Super Bowl this weekend. A lot of them will be interested in the NFL's championship game between Philadelphia and New England. Others are eager to check out Justin Timberlake's halftime show, P!nk's national anthem and the clever television commercials. There's another spectacular performance they'll never notice, though, because it happens behind the scenes of the ATO and many of its partners in air travel and national security. The balance that our colleagues strike between ensuring security and enabling optimal air traffic planning for an occasion of this magnitude, as well as for special events like

