Patrick Forrey Testimony on Issues of Concern to the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area

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By NATCA
Posted: 10-16-2008


Conclusion

The FAA has repeatedly shown that it is either unable or unwilling to govern the usage of our nation’s airspace and runways in a way that maximizes the benefit and minimizes risks to the flying public. Time and time again they have ignored offers from subject-matter experts like air traffic controllers to assist them in their endeavors, just as they have ignored the pleas from elected officials. In this way, Philadelphia is not unique. The issues facing this city, and indeed the entire state of Pennsylvania are being experienced in various incarnations throughout the country. Mismanagement has become endemic in this agency, which is determined to focus only on its own bottom line. Today we are given the opportunity to identify the problems facing air travelers in the Philadelphia area – many of which have been either caused by the FAA or ignored by them -- and begin taking steps to correct them. It is the sincere hope of this union that this hearing will lead to meaningful action and that positive changes will be made throughout the country.

We therefore recommend the following:

1. The FAA should initiate realignment activity only after receiving approval from a review board as per the clause in the FAA re-authorization bill passed by the House of Representatives and currently under consideration by the Senate. This board would include representatives from all stakeholder groups including air traffic controllers, pilots, members of congress and the community. In the case of the PHL, the FAA should work with NATCA and consider our alternate plan to reduce the number of positions required for full certification while maintaining the integrity of the combined facility.

2. The FAA must discontinue the use of dispersal headings until such time as full testing (including hot weather testing) is complete and proper procedures, including appropriate revisions to the PHL7 SID chart have been established. This too must be done with the active participation of all stakeholder groups including air traffic controllers, pilots, members of congress and the community.

3. The FAA should take steps to control airline scheduling and prevent scheduling over the Maximum Arrival/Departure Rates.

4. Congress must quickly pass the FAA re-authorization bill that would require the FAA to return to the bargaining table for fair negotiations with NATCA, in order to curtail the rapid attrition from the workforce.

References

[1] Federal Aviation Administration Philadelphia International ATCT/TRACON De-combining Staff Study.

[2] Bureau of Transportation Statistics Airport snapshot for PHL

[3] Federal Aviation Administration Philadelphia International ATCT/TRACON De-combining Staff Study

[4] This figure was calculated by estimating 15 minutes of delay for each aircraft carried over from one interval to the next.

[5] All staffing data is based on FAA payroll information provided to the union by the FAA.

[6] Rogers, Mark D, Richard H Mogford, Leslye S Mogford, US Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration Office of Aviation Medicine The Relationship of Sector Characteristics to Operational Errors. May 1998

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