A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/977826
LABOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT NATCA RECEIVES BRIEFING ON FLIGHT SERVICE CLEARANCE RELAY CHANGES On April 16, 2018, NATCA received a briefing on the Clearance Relay Part 2 aspect of the Flight Service National Airspace System (NAS) Efficiency Streamlined Services (FS NESS) Initiative. This briefing dealt with one aspect of the Agency's ongoing efforts to reduce its Flight Service footprint. NATCA has been working collaboratively with the Agency on this issue via the Flight Services N ational Initiatives Workgroup. Part 1 of the Clearance Relay Initiative dealt with pilots operating at non - towered airpor ts controlled by a select number o f approach control facilities. These facilities already provided clearances to pilots over the p hone on an informal basis. Part 1 "formalized" the process by publishing a Clearance Delivery phone number for 30 approach con trol facilities. Part 2 of this change deals with all remaining facilitie s, except for those in Alaska. Once the change is adopted, pilots will obtain a clearance and have the ability to cancel IFR flight plans via telephone by calling the appropriate Ap proach Control facility directly or by calling the overlying ARTCC Flight Data Unit, which will then relay the clearance from the appropriate sector, specialty, or control facility to the pilot. Pilots requesting clearances via radio from Leidos or ATC, pi lots requesting clearances from locations in Alaska, and Medivac/Lifeguard flights requesting clearances over the phone are not affected at this time. Publication of the Clearance Relay phone numbers for the ARTCCs will not occur until after the FD units ha ve had the necessary training. Training is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2018 and will follow a yet - to - be developed w aterfall schedule. Projected completion of the transition is June of 2019. POCs: National Training Representative Tom Adcock, Nat ional Weather Article 114 Representative Matt Tucker, En Route Technology Coordinator Mark Prestrude, and Assistant Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale. NATCA RECEIVES BRIEFING REGARDING AFN AND APL REORGANIZATION On April 26, 2018, NATCA received a briefing regarding the Agency's plans to reorganize certain employees in its Office of Finance and Management (AFN) within AFN and into the Office of Policy, International Affairs and Environment (APL). The Agency stated during the briefing that its reorg anization is designed to make the affected Agency components more efficient and streamlined. Under the Agency's plan, the Agency's Aviation Logistics Organization within AFN will be realigned within the Agency's Office of Acquisition and Property Managem ent (ACQ), which is also within AFN. In addition, the Regional Administrators (RAs) and their staff, including NATCA bargaining unit employees, wi ll be moved from AFN into APL. Congressional approval is required to establish these new organizational end st ates, so the changes to ALO and the RAs must be "virtually" established through delegations and agr eements between organizations. This virtual chan ge occurred on April 29, 2018. No changes have been made to the affected BUEs' job duties or physical locatio ns. The Agency estimates that Congressional approval will be obtained in 2021, at which point the actual organizational change will become effective.