ATCA

Our new look and enhancements demonstrate our commitment to evolve in ways that align with our core mission of fostering education, collaboration, thought leadership, and advocacy. That extends to our desire to build upon the great success of our inaugural women's aviation leadership conference last spring. We're already working to plan next year's second annual conference. Today, we are unveiling a new name for the event. Introducing: empowerHER, an ATCA leadership forum!

Save the date: March 4-6, 2025. We'll meet in Westlake, Texas, near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, surrounding attendees with powerful women, allies, and future leaders in another jam-packed lineup of speakers, panelists, workshop learning sessions, and networking opportunities. Support and empowerment to reach new heights remains our goal.

We'll have registration, STEM, and sponsor information for you in September.

Issue No. 4, the latest issue of the ATCA Bulletin, is now live and available to read online!

Our cover reflects the recent rebranding that we've launched for ATCA. Inside this issues pages you'll find articles on the ICAO Annex, a recap of the 2024 Joint Services ATC Symposium, and the first of a two-part series on safe separation needed for autonomous UAM operations. All of this and our regular feature, Industry News.

To access this and all past issues of the ATCA Bulletin, please go to: http://lesterfiles.com/pubs/ATCA/Bulletin.php

🗓 Save the date: FAA-ATCA Budget Webinar. This exclusive webinar is for current ATCA members, where the FAA will present their plans/priorities/challenges for FY25 President’s Budget and discuss how it aligns with the mission needs of the National Airspace System.

Webinar will take place at 11:00 EST on August 1st. Stay tuned for an email from ATCA to register for the webinar.

We’re excited to unveil the new name for our annual conference: ATCA Connect! This year, we’re introducing a dynamic and interactive layout centered around the vibrant Park Activity Area. This central hub has theaters and exhibits, with all booths strategically facing the Park Activity Area.

We aim to foster a more engaging and casual atmosphere, where every participant enjoys equal visibility and access. This innovative design transforms the exhibition hall into a lively and inclusive space, ensuring a productive and memorable experience for all attendees.

https://www.atca.org/events-education/atca-connect

It’s an exciting new day at ATCA! We are announcing new enhancements to better meet the needs of our membership. This builds on the solid foundation of nearly 70 years of representing and serving the air traffic management and airspace integration communities. As part of this transformation, our new logo’s modern look represents our future-facing approach.

As a dynamic and forward-thinking organization, we are committed to evolving in ways that align with our core mission of fostering education, collaboration, thought leadership, and advocacy. ATCA believes that by facilitating a collaborative environment and advocating for the needs of our community, we can collectively drive the air traffic management industry forward.

Shaping industry partnerships tops the list of our priorities. They are crucial for integrating cutting-edge technologies and services. Safety and efficiency remain paramount for us at the heart of the industry.

Learn more about our enhancements at atca.org.

ATCA kicked off the summer earlier this week with our Rising Professionals Summer Social Mixer. On a perfect June evening, we hosted professionals from across the aviation and ATM field on ATCA's rooftop patio at our headquarters building in Alexandria, Virginia.

COMING SOON! For nearly 70 years, ATCA has built a tradition of bringing together the key stakeholders in the global aviation community for discussions about the leading issues and technical innovations of the day. Acting on behalf of our membership, which represents the air traffic management and airspace integration communities, has driven our efforts.

We’re excited to apply a fresh coat of paint to our image, and to our annual conference, which is the largest and most diverse venue for aviation-related technology in North America. How do we intend to bring industry and government together this fall to identify and tackle joint solutions for the challenges faced in our rapidly evolving airspace? Stay tuned!

🏆 The nomination period for ATCA's 2024 Awards Program is now open! If you or someone you know has made an important contribution to air traffic control or air traffic management in the last year, submit an ATCA award nomination today! The deadline to nominate is Friday, July 19th.

Finalists will be announced in October and winners will be unveiled and honored at ATCA's Fall Conference in Washington, DC.
Submit your nomination: https://form.jotform.com/240706035175148

3️⃣ weeks until ATCA's Rising Professional Summer Social Mixer! We invite you to join us at ATCA's office in Alexandria. Drop by after work for networking and fun. A special thank you UFA, Inc. and Rinaldi Consultants, LLC for sponsoring.

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeH5Dg8TuKk0qDa16KEyhIJLPLvzp1MAOv61o_XH3ela67MTw/viewform

The third installment of the ATCA Bulletin for 2024 is now live and available online!

http://lesterfiles.com/pubs/ATCA/Bulletin.php

Are you a rising professional in the aviation industry? We invite you to join us at ATCA's office in Alexandria for our Summer Social Mixer. Drop by after work for networking and a beverage. ✈ 🍷

The latest issue of the ATCA Bulletin is now available online for your reading pleasure! Our cover story provides an overview of ATCA's inaugural Women in Aviation Leadership Conference, held in early April. Also included in this issue is an update from MITRE on their work on citywide AAM implementation planning, as well as our regular feature, Industry News.

We hope that you enjoy this issue, and invite you and/or your company to submit an article for possible inclusion in a future issue. Should you have an interest in doing so, please email our Editor in Chief at [email protected].

To access the Bulletin archives, go to:
http://lesterfiles.com/pubs/ATCA/Bulletin.php

Our morning sessions at the Tech Symposium were superb. We began the day with our Women in Aviation Technology Breakfast. Then we had an update from Katrina Hall, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for NAS Programs and Support, for the Federal Aviation Administration. Next, our panel on NAS Modernization - What's Next and Small Business Innovations in ATM rounded out the morning.

We are off to a great start to the ATCA Tech Symposium, today we are at the William J. Hughes Technical Center for Tech Center Tuesday. Our attendees had the opportunity to meet the teams working on various high-level projects for the NAS of the future.

The latest issue of the Journal of Air Traffic Control is on its way to all members, and we hope that you'll enjoy reading it. Our cover story details Wisk Aero's recent AAM integration testing in New Zealand. Next, the FAA's Theresa Kraus and Wayne Hubbard contributed a comprehensive, two-part overview of flow control, and part one may be found in this issue. Dave Hughes provides another great book review, this one featuring "The Pilot's Guide to Air Traffic Control" by Andy Watson.

An electronic version of this issue may now be accessed from our online Journal archives, available to ATCA members. Please use the following link, and the password provided in your membership materials.

http://lesterfiles.com/pubs/ATCA/

One week till ATCA's Tech Symposium! We will once again host our Women in Aviation Breakfast from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. on April 24th. Women and men are invited to participate in this breakfast where discussions will focus on tangible ways of simplifying your communication style in the workplace.

Register: https://brushfire.com/atcaorg/atcatechsymposium2024/570335

💫 ATCA's Tech Symposium featured panel, our "Climate Change Resiliency in Aviation" panel will feature Alan Strasser, Airport Planning and Environmental Division, Federal Aviation Administration, Dr. Rich Wahls, Sustainable Flight National Partnership Mission Integration Manager, NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Dr. Anna Oldani, Aviation Energy Program Manager, FAA, and Michael Meyers, Manager, Airport Engineering Division, Office of Airport Safety and Standards, FAA.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) US Aviation Climate Action Plan describes a whole-of-government approach to put the sector on a path toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. While long-term management of emissions is a goal, the operational impacts of climate change are already being felt. This panel will highlight what government and industry are doing today to ensure climate resiliency.

🔗 https://lnkd.in/eP6HzyxJ
📍 Atlantic City, NJ
🗓 April 23-24, 2024

Registration for Tech Center Tuesday Tours at the William J. Hughes Technical Center has been extended until Friday, April 12th this will be the last day to register for the Tech Center Tuesday Tours.

Tour List: https://www.atca.org/events-education/techsymposium/tech-center-tuesday

Register for the Tours: https://brushfire.com/atcaorg/atcatechsymposium2024/570335

✨ Preparing for Tomorrow’s Aerospace Challenges and Opportunities ✨ Today’s aerospace system plays a key role in national and defense infrastructure. It represents a complex system consisting of operational, safety, technological, and political requirements that necessitate multi-disciplinary and whole-of-government solutions to challenges. As transformative changes continue to occur at a rapid pace, they are driving demands on government to address them in new and faster ways. Artificial Intelligence, emerging entrants, climate change, balancing sustainment with modernization, and U.S. global leadership are five major drivers of technological or geopolitical change that are impacting decisions being made today. The drivers of these changes are part of the larger digital-era transformation impacting all industries that will change the workforce skills, training needs, and functions of most technology workers as well as the relationships and control systems throughout the Internet of Things.
Join us for a panel discussion moderated by The MITRE Corporation as we explore this complex future environment and the challenges and opportunities within it.

🔷 Registration is free for ATCA Members, non-members there is a fee. Learn more and register now: https://lnkd.in/gHSnx7wE

It was thrilling to watch last week in Dallas as our efforts to plan and build a new ATCA event, our inaugural Women in Aviation Leadership Conference, came to life in the form of a truly inspiring gathering of exceptional professionals. We were proud to facilitate such an important, timely, and exciting opportunity that not only promises to enrich our professional lives, but also addresses an urgent need within the aviation industry.

This event would not have been possible without the tremendous support of our sponsors! From our STEM event with local Dallas students to begin the week, through the end of a jam-packed agenda, we are grateful for our sponsors' enthusiasm and willingness to invest in this conference. Thank you to each of these companies and organizations! We look forward to working with each of our sponsors in the months ahead, with the goal of holding a second annual Leadership Conference in 2025.

🚨 Reminder ATCA Scholarship Program Closes May 1st 🚨 The ATCA Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to an outstanding group of aviation students and children of air traffic controllers. Don't miss your chance to apply!

https://www.atca.org/scholarships

What a tremendous week of excitement, mentorship, networking, and inspiration! Our inaugural Women in Aviation Leadership Conference in Dallas was an enormous success. It exceeded our expectations, and our hearts are filled with gratitude for our speakers, panelists, special guests, sponsors, and, of course, our attendees. Everyone left the event feeling their voices were heard, in an intimate and inviting setting.

The response to the agenda was praise for the variety of speakers and panels offered. Our luncheon speakers were highly captivating: Katie Cook, the first female Navy Blue Angels pilot, shared insight into developing effective leadership abilities, and psychologist Dr. David Morgan helped attendees understand the core principles that people can use to reduce stress, improve mental endurance, and increase emotional resilience.

We were also excited to see the level of engagement taking place at each of our mentorship opportunities, including valuable time spent with our government partners and also an interactive training session on personalities that sparked conversation and prompted attendees to share their personality types with one another into the next day.

It’s our intention to grow this event, building a new tradition in the long and successful history of ATCA events that bring important discussions to the forefront. We’ll take the momentum and the important takeaways from this conference forward, build on them, and look forward to gathering again in 2025!

The Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB) 2022 report, “Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation,” was one of the key discussion points Wednesday during a fireside chat to help kick off the inaugural ATCA Women in Aviation Leadership Conference in Dallas.

The WIAAB was created to take a deep look at the industry, identify barriers to recruiting and retaining women, and make recommendations for change. A member of the WIAAB, Trish Gilbert, participated in the fireside chat with former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ATO COO Teri Bristol, our 2023 ATCA Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award winner, and 2016 Gilbert Award winner Paul Rinaldi, President of Rinaldi Consultants and President Emeritus of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).

Gilbert asked conference attendees to read the report (https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/committees/documents/media/WIAAB_Recommendations_Report_March_2022.pdf) and understand it to “help make sure we understand the barriers affecting women.”

According to the report, “The biggest barrier that discourages women from entering and staying in aviation careers is culture – and it is the hardest to change. Women don’t feel like they belong.” Gilbert, who is currently serving as the Executive Vice President of the Americas Region for the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations, previously was NATCA EVP during the 12 years Rinaldi was NATCA President (2009-2021). She recalled fondly during the fireside chat how, when working with Rinaldi, he made it a point to ask her to go on stage (during NATCA member events). “You need to get on stage,” Gilbert said Rinaldi told her. “There may be our next NATCA president out there that’s a female and needs to see you lead.”

Gilbert, Bristol, and Rinaldi talked about the collaborative relationship they built between NATCA and the FAA, producing a culture shift and a system of trust which, over time, resulted in successes in key areas like modernization, innovation, and labor relations.

“Working together produced better results and a safer system for the flying public,” Bristol said.

Rinaldi credited his ability to surround himself with strong women as a key to the success he has enjoyed in his aviation career. “It’s natural for me to be surrounded by strong women doing great work,” he said.

🌟 Kicking Off the ATCA Women’s Leadership Conference 🌟

This morning, we had the incredible privilege of opening the ATCA Women’s Leadership Conference with Rachel Jackson leading the charge. Rachel set the stage with enthusiasm for what's not just an event but a movement. This marks the beginning of an empowering journey for women in our industry, and we are here for it! 💪

🚀Empowerment and Support 🚀
ATCA is more than just a community; it's a platform where women are uplifted and supported. Rachel emphasized the importance of creating an environment where women feel valued and empowered to achieve their full potential.

🤝 Partnership and Inspiration 🤝
A huge shoutout to our partners at Southwest Airlines for collaborating on an unforgettable STEM event for middle school girls. Special thanks to Moranda Reilly of L3Harris and Jenn Dempster of Professional Women’s Controllers for their phenomenal efforts in organizing a day that surely sparked dreams and aspirations.

✈️A Day of Discovery ✈️
We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to UFA for setting up air traffic controller simulators, providing a hands-on experience that was both educational and exhilarating for the kids. The enthusiasm and inspiration shared by the UFA team were truly remarkable.

🌱 Investing in the Future 🌱
ATCA's commitment to nurturing future generations shines brightly. We invite you to explore the scholarships page on our website and consider supporting our mission to inspire and empower the next wave of leaders in aviation.Together, we are creating pathways, igniting passions, and fostering a community where women and young dreamers can soar to new heights. Let’s continue to make a difference, one flight at a time. ✨

ATCA's Tech Symposium is just a few weeks away! In addition to Tech Center Tuesday at the William J. Hughes Technical Center and a full day of presentations and panels we are also excited to welcome our attendees to our many networking opportunities.

Tuesday, April 23rd
4pm - 6pm Exhibitor Meet and Greet, Hawaiian Themed
6pm - 7pm Welcome Reception at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville at Resorts

Wednesday, April 24th
7:30am - 9am - Women in Aviation Technology Breakfast
6pm - 8pm Closing Reception, Sportsbook at Resorts

Learn more and register: https://www.atca.org/events-education/techsymposium

✨ Preparing for Tomorrow’s Aerospace Challenges and Opportunities ✨ Today’s aerospace system plays a key role in national and defense infrastructure. It represents a complex system consisting of operational, safety, technological, and political requirements that necessitate multi-disciplinary and whole-of-government solutions to challenges. As transformative changes continue to occur at a rapid pace, they are driving demands on government to address them in new and faster ways. Artificial Intelligence, emerging entrants, climate change, balancing sustainment with modernization, and U.S. global leadership are five major drivers of technological or geopolitical change that are impacting decisions being made today. The drivers of these changes are part of the larger digital-era transformation impacting all industries that will change the workforce skills, training needs, and functions of most technology workers as well as the relationships and control systems throughout the Internet of Things.
Join us for a panel discussion moderated by The MITRE Corporation as we explore this complex future environment and the challenges and opportunities within it.

🔷 Registration is free for ATCA Members, non-members there is a fee. Learn more and register now: https://www.atca.org/events-education/speakers-forum-live-webinar/preparing-for-tomorrow-s-aerospace-challenges-and-opportunities---mitre

On behalf of the ATCA staff, we wish you a very happy holiday season, and we look forward to serving you in the new year.

"The caller was an 18-year-old flying a Cessna 550 Citation II, a small two-engine business jet. The pilot had just left Sumter Airport for Columbia, S.C. with his cousin riding as a passenger, when the Cessna began leaking fuel and the radio and transponder stopped working. The malfunctions amounted to “a catastrophic failure,” the release said, especially with the aircraft only about 580 feet off the ground. Without a working radio, the pilot used his cell phone to call the ATC tower at Shaw."

ATC Airman Saves Cessna Pilot Amid 'Catastrophic' Emergency An Air Traffic Control Airman at Shaw Air Force Base saved a civilian Cessna pilot and his passenger amid an in-flight emergency.