Latest air traffic controller Stories

WHITELEY, England, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today NATS, the UK's leading air traffic services provider and a global supplier of aviation solutions, released its 2012 Corporate Responsibility report which outlines NATS' commitment to driving the sustainable aviation agenda in the UK. The report, which is the third Corporate Responsibility report since 2008, chronicles the progress NATS has made since becoming the first air traffic management company in the world to...

WASHINGTON July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Below is a statement from National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi, who urged lawmakers today to immediately pass an FAA extension. Rinaldi cautioned Congress not to leave for its upcoming August recess before passing an extension to restore the jobs of 4,000 laid-off FAA employees. Of the 4,000, NATCA represents nearly 1,200 from its Engineers and Architects, FAA Airports Division and Aviation Technical Systems...

There have been several reports in recent weeks of air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job. There are only two people who handle the task of giving directions to planes.  These people experience irregular shifts that can lead to extreme fatigue, although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires air traffic controllers to have at least 8 hours of time between shifts for sleep.  It is not uncommon for a controller to work from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. and then be back at...

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "NATCA stands in full support of the FAA's immediate steps both today and last week to address the recent incidents, including last night's episode at Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center. NATCA and the FAA are in agreement that fatigue and scheduling must be addressed and I applaud and thank Administrator Babbitt for taking quick and decisive action today to address a large part of the problem and implement immediate steps. "This...

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi issued the following statement stressing the need for safe staffing of front-line, fully certified air traffic controllers on all shifts, particularly the midnight (overnight) shifts, in the wake of Wednesday morning's incident at DCA Tower (Washington National Airport). "During the incident at DCA on the midnight shift Wednesday morning, there was one FAA supervisor on...

EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Sensis Corporation's surface multilateration system at London Stansted Airport is now operational. NATS air traffic controllers at Stansted are using the system's high-accuracy surveillance to monitor the movement of aircraft and vehicles on the airport's runways, taxiways and stand areas to increase the safety and efficiency of the airport's surface. "Controllers at Stansted now have the same surveillance capabilities as Heathrow and Gatwick to...

EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- NATS Services is now using Sensis Corporation's Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland for helicopter flight following. Air traffic controllers are using the WAM surveillance information as a supplement to established procedural flight rules until the WAM system completes testing and regulatory approval for flight information services later this year. There are more than 25,000 helicopter flights...

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The number of fully trained and certified air traffic controllers at Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), the nation's busiest Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control facility that handles the climb and approach phases of flight, has plummeted 26 percent in the last six years, according to new staffing information released today by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Making matters worse is the...

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ --. Two heroes of the emergency landing of Flight 1549 into the icy waters of New York's Hudson River last January will visit the Twin Cities area this month to host a Wings of Mercy benefit and fundraiser. Patrick Harten, the quick-thinking flight controller, who helped Flight 1549 Captain Chelsey (Sully) Sullenberger choose an emergency response, and cool-headed flight attendant Doreen Welsh, who shepherded panicky passengers out of the rear of the...

MIAMI, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Air traffic controllers at Miami International Airport -- represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association -- today are praising Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., for his efforts to secure the delivery and installation of an advanced ground radar system for the control tower that will help controllers ensure safety on the runways, taxiways and ramp areas of one of the nation's busiest airports. MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Following...