# •-nonwio N ! ! RESPONDE D O N DECEMBE R 2 , 200 9 8:4 5 P M 

### Pau l Rinaidi , President , Nationa l Ai rTraffi cControiler s Associatio n Th e Nationa l Ai r

Traffi c Controller s Associatio n i s represente do n Secretar y LaHood' s Federa l Advisory Committe e b y Executiv e Vic e Presiden t Tris hGilbert . Sh e participate d i n th e Secretary' s Nov . 1 2 forum , an dbelieve s i t represente da n importan t first ste p towar dtru e industry-wid e collaboratio n o n th e bigges t issue s facin g th e U.S . aviatio n industry . NATC

A firmly believe s tha t

ou r bes t chanc e o f

succes s lie s i n bringin g togethe r divers e perspective s an dexpertis e fro mevery aspec t o f th e aviatio n industr y an d workin g togethe r

t o develo p comprehensiv e solution s t o ou r problem s an dplan s fo r

ou r future . I t i s wit hthi s i n min dtha t w e develope dthes e recommendation s for th e advisor y committee : 1 . Equipag e -I n orde r fo r th e transitio n int o NextGe n t o b e successful , airline s an d aircraf t owner s wil l nee dt o equi p thei r fleet s wit hADS- B an dothe r ne w technology . Ho w thi s equipag e wil l tak e plac e remain s a n ope n question . Th e taskforceshouI3~ ' explore : Whethe r equipag e shoul db e compulsory . Wh o wil l b e responsibl e fo r fundin g equipag e an dbudgetary-fiffect s of tha t decision . Thi s fundin g shoul dno t

com e a t th e expens e of

othe r FA A budgets . NextGe n i s along

ter mpla n requirin g long-ter mfunding . H R915 , th e FA A Reauthorizatio n Bil

l tha t passe dth e Hous e of

Representatives , onl y provide s fundin g throug h2012 . I n contrast , SESAR , th e Europea n equivalen t of NextGen , i s funde d1 5 year s int o th e future . Th e taskforc e shoul dmak e recommendation s abou t fundin g need s an dfundin g source s for NextGe n i n bot hth e lon g an dshor t term . Whethe r ther e wil l b e othe r

incentive s fo r

equipag e (i.e . best-equipped , best-serve d policy) . Logistical detail s for

abest-equipped , best-serve dpolic y (i.e . procedures , displayin g equipag e informatio n o n AT C scopes) .2 . Runwa y — I n orde r t o effectively addres s existin g problem s withcapacit y an d efficiency , th e FAA' s NextGe n mus t includ e plan s fo r

runwa y constructio n a s wel l a s plan s t o maximiz e efficienc y of th e existin g groun dinfrastructure . Th e taskforc e shoul d explore : Whic hairport s woul dbenefi t fro madditiona l runwa y construction . Th e bes t configuratio n for

th e additiona l runway s an dtaxiways . Procedural , technologica l an dothe r change s tha t

coul dmaximiz e efficienc y an d capacit y of

existin g an dplanne drunwa y infrastructure . 3 . Workforc e —Th e curren t an dfutur e aviatio n syste mdepend s a s muc ho n th e huma n factor s a s th e technologica l ones . Throughou t th e aviatio n industry , employer s ar e finding i t

difficul t t o attrac t

an dretai n qualifie demployees , fro mpilot s an dfligh t attendant s t o ai r

traffi c controller s an dengineers . Th e taskforc e shoul dexplor e way s to : Attrac t qualifie demployee s t o th e aviatio n professions . Retai n experience demployees . Provid e caree r

developmen t

opportunitie s fo r

th e existin g workforce . Meaningfull y utiliz e th e expertis e withi n th e workforc e i n researc han ddevelopmen t project s an dbeyond . Buil dtrus t

betwee n managemen t

an dlabor . Buil dan dmaintai n asafety culture . Ensur e tha t

ne w technologie s an dprocedure s ar e develope dwit hattentio n pai dt o huma n factor s implications . Ne w technolog y mus t suppor t th e work of aviatio n safety professionals . 4 . .Trainin g - Becaus e NextGe n promise s t o brin g significan t change s bot ht o th e cockpi t an dt o th e contro l room , trainin g mus t b e a n integra l par t

of an y NextGe n Plan . Th e Taskforc e mus t

address : Ho w t o develo p comprehensiv e NextGe n trainin g fo r bot hcontroller s an dpilot s (i.e . trainin g o n ne w procedures , equipment/displays , role s fo r controller s an dpilots , separatio n standards , an dblunde r training) . Ho w t o coordinat e trainin g betwee n controller s an dpilot s s o tha t eac hgrou p ha s confidenc e i n th e other s trainin g an dabilities .Ho w t o compensat e fo r th e curren t

trainin g burde n o n th e ai r traffi c contro l syste m du e t o th e hig hpercentag e of ne w hire s i n th e workforc e an dth e nee dt o trai n the mt o full certification . Trainin g logistic s (i.e . ho w t o ensur e uninterrupte dservic e durin g trainin g process ) 5 . Collaboration , Accountabilit y an dOversight

- Th e FA A i s onl y no w beginnin g t o embarFonlTpatho T collaboration . Thi s taskforc e i s afirst ste p towar d includin g industry , use r

an dworkforc e stakeholder s i n th e proces s of developin g an d implementin g change s t o the^viatlo n system . Thi s taskforc e shoul ddevelop : A progra mfo r

continuin g thi s collaboration , particularl y withregar dt o th e developmen t

an dimplementatio n o f

th e FAA' s NextGe n projects , whic hwoul dbenefi t significantl y fro mth e expertis e of bot hworkforc e an dindustr y liaisons . A syste mo f

oversigh t an daccountabilit y t o ensur e tha t th e FA A follow s th e guideline s se t

b y thi s taskforc e an dothe r stakeholde r

group s a s appropriat e (i.e . RTC A NextGe n Taskforc e report) .