CFS Panel Series: Pilots and Controllers

For the last presentation on the #NATCACFS 2023 main stage, a series of panels focused on pilot-controller communications and featured speakers from across the National Airspace System (NAS). NATCA’s National Recurrent Training Lead Richard Kennington and NATCA Confidential Information Share Program member Dawn Johnson moderated the panels.

The discussion covered topics from safety considerations during go-arounds and missed approaches to the challenges posed by newer, more efficient aircraft in complying with multiple clearances, and included a roundtable among military, general aviation, and business pilots, along with controllers, to address various issues, improve communication, and explore best practices.

Panel 1 – Go Arounds/Missed Approaches
Panelists: NATCA Miami ATCT (MIA) Local Safety Council member Dayron Fernandez and Allied Pilots Association (APA) National Safety Representative Brian Townsend

Panel 2: Go Down and Slow Down
Panelists: ALPA Los Angeles ATCT (LAX) Base Safety Chairman Jason Herman, NATCA Aviation Safety Inspector Chair Karena Marinas, United Airlines Chief Technical Pilot Ron Renk, and NATCA Phoenix TRACON (P50) member Carlton Wickstom

Panel 3: Roundtable
Panelists: NATCA National Procedures Representative Scott Fineron, NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) Industry Affairs and Industry Analyst Paul Flynn, NATCA National Airspace Representative Josh Haviland, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) LAX Base Safety Chairman Jason Herman, United States Air Force Maj. Jack Ingber, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Senior Vice President Air Safety Institute Richard McSpadden