Houston controller, pilot, share their story today of a life saved in award-winning flight assist – (4/7/2014)

MEDIA ADVISORY

National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA)

April 7, 2014

CONTACT: Doug Church (Washington, D.C.), 301-346-8245; Houston TRACON NATCA Facility Representative Dylan Hodgson, 832-372-1172.

Houston TRACON Air Traffic Controller, Pilot, To Discuss Dramatic Flight Assist that Earned Controller NATCA Award for Professionalism, Excellence

WHAT: Interview availability with both Houston Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) air traffic controller Stewart Pearcy, and local pilot Phillip Kardenetz. Pearcy last week was honored by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association as the winner of the Southwest Region Archie League Medal of Safety Award for his work in helping Kardenetz to a safe landing. NATCA has presented its Archie League Awards – named for the first air traffic controllers – each year since 2005 to controllers who ensured safety of pilots and passengers in emergency or challenging flight situations.

WHEN: Monday, April 7, 2014; starting at 2 p.m. CDT.

WHERE: Houston TRACON facility, 4005 Greens Rd., Houston, 77032 (just south of IAH International Airport).

ABOUT THE FLIGHT ASSIST: Kardenetz was the pilot of a Cessna 172 Skyhawk. He was Visual Flight Rules-rated but got lost above a thick layer of clouds and could not see the ground to navigate. Every airport within 70 miles reported similar cloudy conditions, but Pearcy, a pilot himself, guided him to a safe landing after a lengthy process of first contacting him, then working with him.

PHOTO FROM AWARDS BANQUET: Attached.

FULL STORY: Please click here.

AUDIO AND RADAR REPLAY OF THIS EVENT: Please click here.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE AUDIO RECORDING: Please click here.

VIDEO OF AWARD PRESENTATION MARCH 26: Please click here.

Please contact Doug Church at [email protected] if you would like copies of these materials in file form, rather than web links.