Update on FAM?

STL2CVG Senior Analyst Cincinnati

Doug,

I am just curious if there is any update or new ground being made for FAM flights. I spoke to a union person at my facility today and he believes they won't come back. Which being a new controller, I think is a sad thing because it obviously would be nice to see life on the other side of the freq. My tower has got some of us into a simulator, which was really neat, but in my personal opinion, it wouldn't give the "true feeling" as being in a cockpit.

Also is it the FAA or Airlines that are having problems with this? Or is it something from the past that isn't as pertinent now a days?

Doug Church Director of Communications Washington, D.C.

Hi,

There's nothing by way of a specific update that I can yet share. However, we actually do feel optimistic that the FAM program will return and we are committed to doing everything we can to help see it return. We could not agree with you more when you say, "it would be nice to see life on the other side of the frequency." With so many of you being new to the ATC profession and aviation, the FAM program would provide such a valuable training and education opportunity, as it did for so many of our veteran members before 2001. Seeing the program return remains one of our highest priorities.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told NATCA members at our NATCA in Washington legislative event in May that he also would like to see the FAM program return and said that because the ultimate decision lies with the TSA and not FAA, it is one of the things he would like to discuss with the new head of the TSA. Since the time the administrator spoke to us in May, that person, John Pistole, has been confirmed by the Senate as the new head of the TSA. So that could be viewed as another positive development, where the FAM program is concerned.

-Doug

STL2CVG Senior Analyst Cincinnati

Thanks for your reply Doug and the information.