ICYMI: NATCA President Rich Santa Represents Our Union at FAA Safety Summit

On Wednesday, March 15, NATCA President Rich Santa, Executive Vice President Andrew LeBovidge, and other NATCA members and staff represented our Union at the FAA Safety Summit that the Agency held at the MITRE Corporation’s offices in McLean, Va. The Safety Summit brought together leaders from commercial and general aviation groups, labor organizations, and others within the aviation industry.

During the summit Rich Santa participated in a plenary panel that was moderated by Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen and Robert Sumwalt, the Executive Director of the Center for Aviation and Aerospace at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Other panelists included Air Line Pilots Association, International, President Capt. Jason Ambrosi; Airlines for America President and CEO Nick Calio; American Association of Airport Executives President and CEO Todd Hauptli; National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen; and Regional Airline Association President and CEO Faye Malarkey Black.

In addition, other representatives of our Union at the FAA Safety Summit – including NATCA National Safety Committee (NSC) Chair and National Safety Representative John Murdock (Philadelphia ATCT, PHL); Andrew LeBovidge; Deputy Director of Safety & Technology Mark McKelligan; National Program Management Organization Representative Dan Hamilton (San Francisco ATCT, SFO); and Director of Safety & Technology Tom Adcock – participated in breakout sessions about the air traffic system, airports and ground operations, commercial operations, and general aviation operations.

Read more about NATCA’s participation in the summit here, including statements from Rich Santa.

In case you missed it, a recording of the summit including the plenary panel is available here.

PHOTO: During the FAA Safety Summit, NATCA President Rich Santa participated in a plenary panel that was moderated by Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen and Robert Sumwalt, the Executive Director of the Center for Aviation and Aerospace at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In this photo, Rich is speaking to the other panelists (left to right): Air Line Pilots Association, International, President Capt. Jason Ambrosi; Airlines for America President and CEO Nick Calio; American Association of Airport Executives President and CEO Todd Hauptli; Sumwalt; Nolen; Santa; National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen; and Regional Airline Association President and CEO Faye Malarkey Black.

PHOTO: At the FAA Safety Summit NATCA President Rich Santa gave a series of media interviews to reporters from national news organizations including ABC News, Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters, the Points Guy website, News Nation, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. In addition, shots from the plenary panel with him also were highlighted in the news coverage on NBC and CBS affiliates around the country. During these interviews, Rich talked about the importance of expanding controller staffing and securing stable, predictable funding for technological improvements.

PHOTO: (Left to right) Our Union’s representatives at the FAA Safety Summit included NATCA National Safety Committee (NSC) Chair and National Safety Representative John Murdock (Philadelphia ATCT, PHL); Executive Vice President Andrew LeBovidge; Deputy Director of Safety & Technology Mark McKelligan; National Program Management Organization Representative Dan Hamilton (San Francisco ATCT, SFO); and Director of Safety & Technology Tom Adcock. They represented NATCA during breakout sessions about the air traffic system, airports and ground operations, commercial operations, and general aviation operations.

PHOTO: NATCA National Safety Committee (NSC) Chair and National Safety Representative John Murdock (Philadelphia ATCT, PHL) addressed participants of the airports and ground operations breakout session during the FAA Safety Summit. Murdock. Here John made a point to their airport leaders present, “There are a few things that you can do at your local airport that are really important. Every airport has a RSAT (Runway Safety Action Team) that meets annually. Go to that meeting and talk about problems or issues that you are having or hearing about. But don’t just wait for that annual meeting. You can always just ask the controllers working at your airport. We are not shy people. They will tell you how they feel about these things. Each facility also has a local safety council. They meet internally at least monthly and  address safety issues. So you can get plugged in at the facility, and we can provide feedback especially in the movement area.”

PHOTO: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg kicked off the FAA Safety Summit. During his opening remarks, he said, “Initial information suggests that more mistakes than usual are happening across the system— on runways, at gates when planes are pushing back, in control towers, and on flight decks. Today is about the entire system. This is a key priority for the FAA and for the entire Department of Transportation.”