Welcome to Communicating For Safety (CFS) 2018!
On behalf of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, we would like to thank you for attending and your commitment to continuous improvement in aviation safety. CFS is the premier aviation safety conference. And we count on every one of you to contribute to the conversation to ensure that we continue to run the safest, most efficient airspace in the world as we expand and grow. With nearly 1,500 attendees for the past several years, CFS has become an essential opportunity for members of the aviation community – including industry stakeholders, pilots, FAA leadership, and of course, air traffic controllers and aviation safety professionals – to come together and discuss the most relevant topics in aviation safety.
This year’s packed agenda includes a host of fascinating experts, speakers, and panelists offering perspectives from across the aviation industry. Additionally, we are excited to welcome Gordon Graham back to the CFS stage to discuss risk management in his engaging style. Keynote speakers include Acting Administrator Dan Elwell, SR-71 pilot Brian Shul, and aviator and engineer Paul Dye.
Our exciting slate of speakers will provide insight on integrating new technology and upcoming challenges throughout the National Airspace System (NAS). Leaders from multiple aerospace companies, the Agency, and NATCA working at the forefront of the newest procedures, programs, and technologies will discuss the most significant changes coming to the NAS and how all of our jobs are affected. We will see how time and time again this resilient workforce is tested and excels at adapting to the constantly evolving innovations that we are helping integrate into the system, all while ensuring the highest levels of safety in the world.
This conference provides an opportunity to recognize extraordinary NATCA members and friends at the annual Awards Luncheon on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday evening by honoring the best of our profession at the Archie League Medal of Safety Awards Banquet. An individual or group from each of NATCA’s nine geographical regions will be honored for stepping up when it was needed most and providing exceptional ATC services. These individuals set the standard for the crucial, life-saving work of an air traffic controller.
CFS is an annual forum that facilitates year-long work collaborating on the most important thing we do – keeping the flying public safe while ensuring the efficient transportation of millions of passengers annually, fueling the largest economy in the world. That all hinges on the day-to-day work you do and is bolstered by conversations you will have here this week. Our collective work ethic and vision will build a NAS that includes Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commercial space flights, and an ever-increasing volume of traffic. Without a commitment to collaboration, dialogue, and progress, we could not continue to operate the safest, most efficient air traffic control system in the world. We hope you enjoy the conference and leave with a broader perspective of the possibilities of what lies ahead.
In solidarity,
Paul Rinaldi, President
Patricia Gilbert, Executive Vice President
Steve Hansen, Chair, NATCA Safety Committee
Jim Ullmann, Director, NATCA Safety & Technology Dept.
