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> A Journal of the FAA Managers Association September/October 2009: Vol. 7 No. 5

»LeadingintotheFuture

»FAAMA29thAnnual GatheringofEagles “It’s Your Serve” Convention and Training Conference

October 18-22, 2009 | Las Vegas

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www.faama.org managingtheskies Sept/Oct 2009 3

faa managers association, inc. #3154410 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016Tel 202.741.9415 | www.faama.org

Communicate.Educate.Advocate. Promoting excellence in public service, the FAA Managers Association is recognized by the FAA to represent all levels of management through all lines of business. We are committed to increasing the accountability to our owners, improving service to our customers, and fostering a professional workplace for our employees in which they can excel and take pride. FAA Managers Association is a forum for managers, supervisors, administrative, and non-bargaining unit staff to effect change.

officersPresident, David ConleyVice President, Stephen SmithSecretary, Julie FidlerTreasurer, Tom Dury

directorsDirector of Administration, Mark GuiodDirector of Communications, Laurie ZugayDirector of Legislative Affairs, Tony TisdallDirector of Membership, Karen IllgParliamentarian and Convention Chair, Andy TaylorCorporate Relations, Arthur BlankMembership Education Committee Chair, Hal AlbertPolitical Action Committee Chair, Dan CunninghamAlaskan Region, Keith LindseyCentral Region, Lori B. PenwellEastern Region, Ben LaFleurGreat Lakes Region, Brian HarmelinkNew England Region, Michael WayneNorthwest Mountain Region, Ralph WaltersSouthern Region, Bob HildebidleSouthwest Region, Bob JeffersonWestern Pacific Region, David Chappuies

publisherKathleen Cummins Mifsud

managing editorLaurie Zugay

staff editorsPamela Adams, Glenn Forbes and John Sideris

contributorsDavid Conley, Kathleen Mifsud, Robert W. Poole, Jr., Laurie Zugay, Glenn Forbes, William R. Voss, Dr. Dan Macchiarella, Frank Ayers, Dr. Jon French, Steve Oppermann, John M. Bernards, and Bobbie L. Kahklen.

illustration and photographyCover photo courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA; photographs, pages 8 to12, Kathleen Mifsud; photographs, pages 24 to 25 supplied by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; and photograph page 30 sup-plied by Bobbie L. Kahklen.

designSagetopia, 703.726.6400, www.sagetopia.com

productionColorcraft of Virginia, 703.709.2270, www.colorcraft-va.com

advertising, editorial & subscription inquiriesManaging the Skies2501 M Street NW, Suite 612Washington, DC 20037Telephone: 202.955.7987Fax: 202.478.0431Email: [email protected]

ManagingtheSkies is a benefit of membership in the FAA Managers Association, Inc. To become a member, go to www.faama.org. For all others, the annual subscription rate is $49. Please address your inquiries to [email protected] and [email protected].

ManagingtheSkies is published bi-monthly by the FAA Managers Association, Inc.

The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and should not be construed to be the opinion of the FAA Managers Association. Suggestions and opinions expressed in Managing the Skies are not necessarily endorsed by the FAA Managers Association. Nothing in these pages is intended to supersede operators’ or manufacturers’ policies, practices, or requirements, or to supersede government regulations.

©2009 FAA Managers Association, Inc. All rights reserved.

AbouttheCover: Meet me in Las Vegas at the South Point Hotel Casino! “It’s Your Serve” is the theme of the 29th An-nual FAA Managers Association Gathering of Eagles, being held Sunday, October 18 through Thursday, October 22. See pages 16-17 to check out the President’s Corporate Reception and Texas Style Barbeque on Sunday evening, October 18; the phenomenal training opportunities available on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; the exceptional keynote speakers on Monday and Wednesday – including FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt; and the Banquet/Awards Dinner, being held for the first time on Wednesday night, October 21. Also, bigger and better this year is the Exhibit area – in 2009 featur-ing an unprecedented 39 exhibit booths. On page 17, there is a diagram displaying exhibitors by booth number.

Contents

04 06 07 08perspective:Leading Into the Future

Landmark Labor Agreement Reached

FAA Air Traffic Controller 2010-2012 Pay Bands

An FAAMA Interview: Teri Bristol, Vice President for Technical Operations, Air Traffic Organization, FAA

14profile: Rep. Betsy Markey

16“It’s Your Serve” – FAAMA Convention 2009

18Global Aviation Safety: Now and in the Future

24Embry-Riddle Aero-nautical University Educators Answer Questions About Aviation Safety, Pilot Training, and Human Factors

26Why Do Employees File Discrimination Complaints and Grievances?

27FAAMA Website: For Members Only

29Being Proactive in Challenging Financial Times

30FAA Mentor Program 2009: A Success Story from the Northwest Mountain Region

31Join FAAMA Today/ New Member Registration Form

FAAMA New Member Profile

02 GEICO www.geico.com

13 Long Term Care Partners, LLC www.fedsprotection.com

28 FEDS www.fedsprotection.com

32 BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program www.fepblue.org

Index to Advertisers

A JOURNAL OF THE FAA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

September / October 2009: Vol. 7 No. 5

4 managingtheskies Sept/Oct 2009 www.faama.org

p e r s p e c t i v e

President Obama is pulling a page from the Clinton Administration’s playbook by resurrecting the

National Partnership Council under a slightly different name and structure. Sensitive to perceptions, the President’s team is abandoning the use of the word “partnership” and is drafting an Executive Order that instead will form the National Council on Federal Labor Relations.

True to President Obama’s campaign mantra of “change,” this new Council’s charge will be to focus on change in Federal Government by seeking improvements in government service and fostering cooperation between fed-eral employees and management.

InterpretingtheRoleof“Partners”Much like the Partnership Council that was formed in 1993, which was intended to be a venue for management and labor to reform government, this new initiative is hoped to elicit broad appeal. However, we caution you to take a close look at this before it is implemented. Although President Obama’s new Council may sound like a good idea, the problem lies in how participating “partners” interpret their roles.

Managers across the country are concerned that reviving the Council may take away management’s abil-ity to control costs. In the 1990’s, the concept of labor-management partner-ship failed miserably at the agency level because employee groups were empowered to make decisions with no accountability for the outcomes. They interpreted that partnership also meant co-management.

In fact, the 1993 Executive Order instructed agencies to “involve employ-

ees and their union representatives as full partners,” which became problem-atic because employee organizations cannot be held accountable, as true “partners” would be. As a consequence, labor representatives had little reserva-tion about pushing for costly solutions, knowing that it ultimately fell to the management team to fund and imple-ment them.

In addition, the FAA’s “Partnership Council” struggled to mature because participant roles were hazy and partici-pation by the labor organizations was spotty. While most unions sent their principal leaders, some unions chose to delegate attendance to secondary leaders. This disrupted parity in the meetings, delayed decision-making, and led to tensions between labor organiza-tions. Eventually, agencies found that the Councils failed to deliver their expected benefits and began to erode their ability to manage responsibly, which are two of the reasons why President Bush cancelled the Executive Order that formed the Partnership Council upon entering office.

As FAA managers, we must realize that as we lead into the future, we need to look for ways to successfully work with our labor leaders. We propose that managers and labor leaders can work together effectively without the trappings of an implied co-managing partnership. Should the President move forward with this, we recommend that the new order:

• Establish the bounds of the Council,

• Clearly define participant roles,

• Set up a sound structure for working issues, and

• Establish methods for monitoring and measuring the Council’s progress.

TentativeBargainingAgreementAchievedIn mid August 2009, it was announced

that the FAA and the air traffic control-

lers’ union had reached a tentative bar-

gaining agreement, ending a three-year

long period of unrest within the control-

ler ranks. Without arguing the merits of

either party’s positions, it is remarkable

that their differences extended from the

far corners of this country to the very

halls of the U.S. Congress and the White

House.

I hope we all can appreciate that we

truly live in a great country where ordi-

nary people can take their issues to the

highest levels of government and have

their voices heard. Congratulations to

both parties for their efforts on reaching

this tentative agreement, which awaits

the ratification process by the bargaining

unit members.

In acknowledgement, and to give

credit where credit is due, I acknowledge

the leadership of the FAA, in particular

Rick Ducharme, for returning to the

table without umbrage to get the job

done and start the healing process. Also,

I tip my hat to outgoing union president,

Pat Forrey who led a long and arduous

campaign to get the parties back to the

negotiating table.

For the good of the country, we can

begin working toward goals that will bet-

ter serve the American people. NextGen

implementation and the adoption of a

just Safety Culture are worthy of our

combined efforts, and these programs

will take the sustained commitment and

cooperation of our entire FAA team –

both labor and management. Now we

must move forward.

LeadingIntotheFutureA message from the president


MaintainingBalanceLike a gymnast on the balance beam, our steps forward need to be careful, calculated, and sure. Even the most talented performers have to work hard to stay on the beam as their bodies make thousands of tiny adjustments in order to maintain control and balance. Certainly, focus is a big part of it, but much of it is involuntary and intuitive, because the performer’s body senses when it moves and makes frequent small corrections to keep itself in balance.

From this example, we understand that the ability to sense change and then to react appropriately are two impor-tant keys to restoring and maintaining balance. Applying this lesson in the workplace may help us navigate through the day-to-day changes that seem to constantly come our way.

Managers can fall into the trap of looking for perfect long-term solutions, while struggling to implement them because of the ever-changing dynamics of our electronically connected world. With email, text messaging, and 24/7 phone access, situations can flip over-night, impacting the context of many of our plans. Making smaller corrections on a more frequent basis may be a better way of staying on track – a strategy simi-lar to the frequent inputs we make while steering a car.

CoordinationandCooperationAreEssentialFor all intents and purposes, balance is best achieved when all of our parts are working together. It is a given that it requires a certain amount of skill to stand on our own two feet, but the chal-lenge is made even more difficult when other people are added to our situation. For example, if two people are going to move together on the balance beam, they need to communicate and cooperate to coordinate movements or, chances are, they both will fall.

To translate this to the workplace, leaders cannot afford to ignore the input

of other managers and employees. Doing so is likely to result in disjointed initia-tives and eventually will increase the chances that folks may just stop talking to us. Successful companies encourage employees and managers to work as a team – both giving and taking – to keep the company, if you will, from falling off “the beam.”

FAAMAHoustonChapterLeadershipSetsExampleIn the last issue of “Managing the Skies,” we featured one of our newest FAAMA leaders, Andy Cook. Andy is the new president of Chapter 189 at Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center and he is shaking the bushes down in Houston (no pun intended). In just a few short months, Andy has recruited over 20 new members.

Andy’s leadership is outstanding and, as one of his members put it, “his enthu-siasm is just... well, just contagious.” Like a lifeguard, this leader is literally breathing fresh air into his folks and is resuscitating his chapter. For the record, Andy is my chapter president and I am proud to serve under him. Keep up the good work, my friend.

PlanNowtoJoinUsatthe29thAnnualGatheringofEaglesinLasVegasWith great anticipation, I am look-ing forward to seeing each of you at this year’s 29th Annual Gathering of Eagles in Las Vegas Oct 18th-22nd. You will meet face-to-face with our new Administrator, Randy Babbitt, who is a very engaging person and has some new and refreshing ideas for our Agency. The Air Traffic Organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Hank Krakowski, will be in Las Vegas, too, and Congresswomen Betsy Markey from Colorado’s 4th District also will be a featured speaker.

Training this year is centered on the theme, “It’s Your Serve,” where we will focus on the high calling of being a public servant. We are confident that

you will find the training valuable in both your personal and professional life. FAA Managers Association training is agency-certified and counts toward your FAA-required 40 hours of management training. In addition, the FAA has sanc-tioned the agenda, thereby allowing you to attend without having to take some form of leave.

Convention Chair Andy Taylor and the convention team have worked extremely hard to make this a special time for you, our members. Don’t forget to arrive early because on Sunday night we are hosting a Texas-style barbeque for the President’s Reception.

Rather than a formal gathering like those in the past, we will host a business casual event where you can wear your western apparel. We still want the guys to wear jackets, but jeans and boots are perfectly acceptable this year. I might even break out my cowboy hat. Let me encourage you to come and have fun, eat some good vittles, and mingle with the folks, including Administrator Babbitt who will be there, too.

I’m sure you will find the accommo-dations of the new South Point Hotel Spa and Casino to your liking. The hotel has fine restaurants, a luxurious spa, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Bring your family and friends to enjoy a week of bowling, movies, shows, shopping, and relaxing at the pool while you receive top-notch training.

Incredibly, there really is something for everybody. If you haven’t already made your reservations, I encourage you to do so immediately. Space is quickly filling, and... I want to see you there! ❙

Communicate. Educate. Advocate.

David Conley, PresidentFAA Managers Association, Inc.


p r e s s c o m m e n t a r y

On August 13th, the FAA and its largest union, the bargain-ing unit representing the air

traffic controllers, concluded a chal-lenging mediation process that pro-duced a landmark labor agreement. According to an FAA statement: “After years of strained relations, the joint decision to engage in mediation was an important first step, and the proposed agreement represents a milestone on the final road to settlement, which awaits ratification by union members.”

An independent arbitration team released a decision on a handful of issues not resolved by the mediation, which

settled more than 100 of the issues in dispute. Members of the bargaining unit representing the air traffic controllers have 45 days to ratify the many agreed-upon issues in the proposed agreement. The five issues decided by arbitrators, including compensation, are not subject to ratification by members.

The agreement provides employees with greater flexibility in their work schedules, childcare support, a new grievance review process, and a vari-ety of other gains. At the same time, it affords FAA the flexibility to more effectively redeploy labor to congested airports using Controller Incentive Pay.

The agreement also restores a more equitable pay standard, to benefit new hires as well as veterans nearing retire-ment. The associated costs will be phased in over the three years of the contract, which helps ensure that FAA will not have to tap into its budget for critical capital investments in order to handle increased personnel costs.

“This marks a new day between the FAA and the air traffic controllers as we move forward with a spirit of coop-eration,” declared FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “We are hopeful that once the review and ratification are complete, we can accelerate our efforts to adopt NextGen.” ❙

LandmarkLaborAgreementReached

Excerpts from an August 20, 2009 article by Adrian Schofield in AviationWeek.com

NewContractBoostsCostsby$670MA new contract proposed for U.S. control-lers would cost the FAA an additional $669 million over its three-year duration... Most of the extra cost of the contract is loaded on its second and third years… the new proposal would add less than $100 million in 2010, about $200 million in 2011 and nearly $400 million in 2012.

The 2010 increase… is not factored into the FAA’s fiscal 2010 budget plan that has already been released. The new contract proposal is designed to put an end to the labor dispute that has simmered since 2006, when FAA imposed a contract on that saved the agency millions of dollars yet caused resentment among controllers… arbitrators refused to give controllers the retroactive pay increases they were pushing for…

Because it does not include back pay, the new contract will cost less than half what it would have under the House reauthorization bill.

Excerpts from an August 13, 2009 article by Alyssa Rosenberg in Government Executive

PanelOrdersFAAtoSetNewControllerPayScales…The pay provisions instituted in 2006 by FAA’s then administrator, Marion Blakey, after negotiations between the agency and the bargaining unit representing the air traffic controllers broke down, “constituted unprecedented draconian reductions in compensation, bordering on the unconscio-nable,” the mediation panel wrote in its decision…”The abrupt imposed changes in working conditions... was so profound, and spawned so much hostility and distrust, that the labor-management relationship since has degenerated into a state of dysfunctionality.”

…In addition to pay issues, the mediators established a new review board to adjudi-cate controller grievances… The panel will have the power to grant, dismiss or settle grievances that remain. Finally, the ruling mandates a new leave system… The media-tors said they did not expect that the rela-tionship between the union and the agency would change immediately…

Excerpts from an August 13, 2009 article by Christopher Conkey in The Wall Street Journal

FAA,Air-TrafficControllersReachDealThe federal government’s 15,000 air-traffic controllers would get a pay boost and enhanced benefits under terms of a labor agreement reached… a sign of organized labor’s improving fortunes under the Obama administration…

The deal would help the FAA push ahead with two of its biggest priorities: upgrad-ing to a satellite-based air-traffic control system and training a new generation of controllers. Enmity between controllers and the FAA during the latter years of the Bush administration led many veterans to retire, complicating training efforts and leading to staff shortages in some towers…


FAAAirTrafficController2010to2012PayBands(Excluding Locality Pay)

2010PayBands (excluding locality pay)

min/max 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

CPCmax $55,173 $58,101 $67,481 $70,833 $80,785 $86,388 $98,689 $105,089 $114,106

min $40,869 $43,038 $49,986 $52,469 $59,841 $63,991 $73,103 $77,844 $84,523

D3max n/a $43,038 $49,986 $52,469 $59,841 $63,991 $73,103 $77,844 $84,523

min n/a $41,546 $46,757 $48,619 $54,148 $57,261 $64,095 $67,651 $72,660

D2max n/a n/a $46,757 $48,619 $54,148 $57,261 $64,095 $67,651 $72,660

min n/a n/a $43,528 $44,770 $48,456 $50,531 $55,087 $57,457 $60,797

D1max n/a n/a n/a $44,770 $48,456 $50,531 $55,087 $57,457 $60,797

min n/a n/a n/a $40,920 $42,763 $43,800 $46,078 $47,264 $48,933

AGmax $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

min $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

2011PayBands(excluding locality pay)

min/max 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

CPCmax $60,125 $65,981 $74,550 $80,511 $90,223 $98,256 $112,664 $119,163 $127,030

min $44,537 $48,875 $55,222 $59,638 $66,832 $72,782 $83,455 $88,269 $94,096

D3max n/a $48,875 $55,222 $59,638 $66,832 $72,782 $83,455 $88,269 $94,096

min n/a $45,924 $50,684 $53,996 $59,392 $63,854 $71,859 $75,469 $79,840

D2max n/a n/a $50,684 $53,996 $59,392 $63,854 $71,859 $75,469 $79,840

min n/a n/a $46,146 $48,354 $51,951 $54,926 $60,263 $62,670 $65,583

D1max n/a n/a n/a $48,354 $51,951 $54,926 $60,263 $62,670 $65,583

min n/a n/a n/a $42,712 $44,511 $45,998 $48,666 $49,870 $51,327

AGmax $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

min $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

2012PayBands (excluding locality pay)

min/max 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

CPCmax $65,077 $73,861 $81,618 $90,189 $99,660 $110,122 $126,641 $133,287 $139,953

min $48,205 $54,712 $60,458 $66,807 $73,822 $81,572 $93,808 $98,731 $103,669

D3max n/a $54,712 $60,458 $66,807 $73,822 $81,572 $93,808 $98,731 $103,669

min n/a $50,302 $54,611 $59,373 $64,634 $70,447 $79,624 $83,316 $87,019

D2max n/a n/a $54,611 $59,373 $64,634 $70,447 $79,624 $83,316 $87,019

min n/a n/a $48,764 $51,939 $55,446 $59,321 $65,439 $67,901 $70,370

D1max n/a n/a n/a $51,939 $55,446 $59,321 $65,439 $67,901 $70,370

min n/a n/a n/a $44,504 $46,258 $48,196 $51,255 $52,485 $53,720

AGmax $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

min $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070 $37,070

Numbers 4 through 12 at the top of the chart represent the nine levels of air traffic facilities based upon how busy air traffic is in that facility. For example, In Florida, Sarasota Tower is a 6 level and Tampa Tower is an 11.

CPC: Salary of the Certified Professional Controller; typically the employee obtains CPC status after two to three years.

D1 through D3: Salary as the new employee progresses through the training phases at their air traffic facility; these phases typically require two to three years.

AG: Salary of a new employee hired into the FAA and immediately sent to the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Academy in Oklahoma City, OK. The new employee is at the Academy for approximately three months. Upon successful completion at the Academy, the employee is promoted to the D1 level and travels to their new air traffic facility where they receive training specific to that facility.

AnFAAMAInterview:

TeriBristolVice President, Air Traffic Organization

Technical Operations, FAA


More than 11,000 Tech Ops employees ensure that more than 45,000 pieces of equip-

ment and systems operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at the over 6,000 facilities comprising the US Air Traffic Control (ATC) system.

Bristol is also responsible for providing communication and navigation services to support the ATO’s line service units. In addition, she works closely with FAA regional administrators and support orga-nizations in other FAA lines of business to achieve agency corporate goals and objectives.

Just three months after becoming head of Tech Ops, Teri Bristol accepted the invitation of Managing the Skies to describe her new role and responsibili-ties and vision for the future.

Q:Pleasesharesomeofyourbackground.Bristol: In 1992, I came into the government after graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in marketing and logistics. At the time, the Department of Transportation was recruiting for a two-year management training program through four different agencies, and I came into the FAA first.

I followed with the US Coast Guard, followed by another six months in the FAA. Finally, I went to the Federal Highway Administration where negotiat-ing major system acquisitions gave me a solid foundation for the business skills I would need in the future.

The opportunities were really unique. After a couple of years, I moved into the technical world, managing the deployment of the ARTS IIE Program throughout the NAS. Because I knew that I eventually wanted to move into

management, I looked for opportunities in the FAA to broaden my background, and moved into a management position at the Command Center in Herndon, Virginia for a couple of years before the ATO realignment. The position was in the area of traffic flow management tool development.

In 2001, I went to the Atlantic City Technical Center, to En Route, and, finally, returned to Terminal in Headquarters, focusing on deployment, and then becoming Director of Program Operations, where I had responsibility for automation surveillance, weather programs, facility construction, second level automation, hardware and software engineering.

In 2007, Bruce Johnson asked me to go to Seattle as Director of Operations in Terminal. That was a huge opportunity since I was not an air traffic controller. I did that job for one year, and really learned a lot – it is amazing how many things were similar and how many things were different. I always felt that I had to work harder because I wasn’t a controller. When you are leading people, it’s about leading and not so much about the technical aspects. We had a lot of really sharp people who were experts in the field, so I didn’t need to be.

Finally, I returned to Washington and was selected as the Service Center Vice President. Four months later, after Steve Zaidman retired, Rick Day asked me to come over to Tech Ops, and I’ve been in this new position about six months.

Every job presented a new opportu-nity. When you like coming to work and what you are doing, and you have great people to work with, the time really flies. FAA is viewed as one of the most desired agencies – I think because of the

mission. I’ve been fortunate and have worked for some really great people, so now it is time to give back and mentor others as well.

Q.WhatdifferentperspectivedoyoubringtoTechOps?Bristol:Having worked in almost all of the lines of business now, I really did get a different perspective from each experi-ence. It took a lot of trust on the part of management, too. When I worked in Seattle as the Director of Operations for Terminal, one of the large projects that we did was transferring the approach control from Palm Springs to Southern California TRACON.

We had many challenges – a lot of them equipment-based. We went through some learning curves as well, and hit some substantial technical

m i s s i o n

TechnicalOperationsMissionStatementProvide safe, cost effective and efficient communications, frequency spectrum engineering, and navigational services for the National Airspace System.

Ensure standard development, evaluation, certification of airspace system, procedures, and equip-ment for customers worldwide.

Manage infrastructure including policy, programming, requirements, engineering, integration and implementation support, service life extension, and maintenance support.

LeaDinG into tHe FUtUre

As the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization’s Vice President for Technical Operations, Teri Bristol is responsible

for the delivery of maintenance service in the National Airspace System (NAS). Tech Ops, one of four

operational ATO Service units, supports the delivery of efficient flight services through maintenance,

engineering, and flight check of NAS facilities, systems, and equipment.


glitches. In that job, I gained an even greater respect for Tech Ops personnel, because they jumped through hoops for us. In the end, it all worked.

Q.HowisTechOpsaserviceprovider?Bristol:In Tech Ops, we work in concert with other service units: En Route, System Operations, and Terminal, as well as the Service Center and the Technical Training Organization. In order to remain one of the safest air navigation service providers in the world, everything we do must be executed as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Tech Ops is the service provider that literally keeps it all going and flowing. A lot of folks do not know that we are there much of the time – until some-

thing breaks. Sometimes we describe Tech Ops as the entity “behind the curtains.” Our prime focus is to align the engineering, the maintenance for sustainment, and the system integration efforts necessary for continuous avail-ability and reliability of the services that air traffic uses every day.

Q.Whatareyour2009goalsforTechOps?Bristol:First and foremost is integrating a safety culture. This has been a prime focus of air traffic and the ATO safety organization. I’ve started to work with the safety organization to establish and formalize a Tech Ops program similar to the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP). My hope is to establish a for-

mal system, which may or may not be called ATSAP.

The more important thing is that the Tech Ops safety program will be a non-punitive, voluntary system. It is about learning what is happening in the systems so that we can be better educated, and hopefully don’t repeat the same mistakes. A safety culture is a learning culture, and creating it is my top priority.

Another priority is instilling leader-ship into the organization. In the ATO, I think we ought to leverage the com-monalities among the four operational Service Units, joining forces and inte-grating equipment, programs, and more.

A major focus for me in 2009 is managing three of NextGen’s five

LeaDinG into tHe FUtUre

e x c e r p t s

“Let there be no doubt about it: you folks are a weight-bearing wall in the National Airspace System (NAS). Without your work, the 24/7/365 dependability, nothing’s going to fly. As a long-time pilot, I can tell you firsthand: this group delivers.

When it comes to maintenance and repair, inspection and certifi-cation, you get it done. You don’t say a lot, but your work speaks volumes. And on behalf of the President, the Secretary, and the hundreds of millions of people who fly, thank you...

Without you, the NAS hits full stop very fast. Not only do you do good work out in the field, but I’m getting good reports from Hank Krakowski and Teri Bristol on the willingness of your leadership team to engage with ATO leadership. I’m particularly hopeful for the development of a program that is similar in nature to ATSAP.

As professionals in this business, we know that we need to learn about what’s going on in the NAS. To do that, we need to put a non-punitive reporting system in place. That’s part of a safety cul-ture – part of something that’s not a module in a training course but something that’s threaded through everything we do.

I’m very pleased to hear that the engagement is increasing. This is exactly the kind of relationship that I came here to encour-age. When people don’t talk, both sides lose. I thought that Teri Bristol opening up a mailbox just for Tech Ops employees was a particularly good thing.

This nation can’t afford for us not to be on good terms. I’ve been in the system a very, very long time. Airline pilots can’t complete their mission without mechanics and technicians. Those are the people who keep planes healthy…

You work in a challenging atmosphere, and when the situation looks bleakest, that’s where you shine... you keep the system up and running. You inspect it. You certify it. You maintain it. You service it. And the system doesn’t miss a beat all year long. At the end of the day, you take US aviation to the next level of performance, and you take it to the next level of safety.

Your focus on mission is impressive. Your esprit de corps even more so. With that said, I must emphasize the importance of fol-lowing the rules wherever you are. You should not put yourself in harm’s way. That PPE (personal protection equipment) is there to keep you safe on the job.

The FAA does not own, operate or maintain a piece of equip-ment that is more important than the men and women in this room. I can’t stress this enough. Be safe. I know that this group more than most likes to rise to a challenge – especially when the stakes are high – I’m just asking that you be safe while taking care of business.

And taking care of business is what you’re known for. That’s why I’m confident about NextGen, because I’m confident about you...”

Excerpts from an address by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt to a August 2009 Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) Convention:

“WithoutYou,ItDoesn’tHappen”


transformational programs: Data Communications (DATA COMM), System Wide Information Management (SWIM), and National Airspace System Voice Switch (NVS).

Also coming to Tech Ops very soon is the NextGen Network Enabled Weather (NNEW) program. Recently, the Executive Council (made up of the COO and ATO Senior Vice Presidents) made a decision to centralize execution of all the weather programs, and so NNEW is coming into Tech Ops as well. When you merge those programs, you can really capitalize on the synergies cre-ated. We should be much more efficient, and hopefully save some money.

Q.WhatisthecurrentpositionofTechOpsasasafetyculture?Bristol:We can track and measure many things, but need to question whether or not we are we measuring the right things. For example, right now we’re approaching hurricane season. Our people at the facilities on the front lines work to ensure that our equipment is prepared going into the new hurri-cane season.

At the moment when Terminal stops directing air traffic, Tech Ops has a period of time to shut down the equip-ment which means our folks are out there on the ground, literally. We must be certain that we are not putting them in harms way, which might mean ques-tioning when service is cut off.

In extreme weather, it is not about being a hero – it is about getting the job done safely and going home at the end of the day. If you are climbing on rails, harnessing yourself to equipment, and working with electricity during a storm, it is an extremely dangerous situation.

Q.HowdoesTechOpsidentifysafetyrisksbeforetheyoccur?Bristol:We’re working hard to identify risks before they happen. This summer, we are initiating a new policy regarding Fall Protection and Electrical Safety due

to an increasing trend toward serious accidents in those areas. My responsibil-ity is to put out more in-depth guidance and more training opportunities.

In 2008, all ATO employees received training in OSHA Occupational Safety and Health, and a second course is coming online in 2009. Also, we are partnering with the Academy in Oklahoma City to ensure that the safety procedures used in training are the same procedures that technicians and

engineers in the field are using. We also will ensure that the personal protec-tive equipment of Tech Ops employees is up-to-date, up to code, and passes inspection on a regular basis.

Q.WhatarethebiggestchallengesinTechOpstoday?Bristol:Keeping pace with the NextGen efforts will be a big challenge, even for Tech Ops. The effort is not only a chal-lenge for employees, but also for supervi-sors and managers. These leaders need to learn as much as they can about the new systems and be able to share that infor-mation with the folks they work with on a daily basis.

NextGen is still a mystery to some people, and we hear over and over again that “we don’t get enough information.” Hopefully, when the many systems come together in Tech Ops, they will have a greater impact on the NAS as we move forward. As we have NextGen infor-mation, we plan to share it with our colleagues.

The core function and philosophy of Tech Ops addresses the maintenance and sustainment environment necessary

to support NextGen. I want to make sure that our workforce is prepared for the changes and efficiency improve-ments that will be necessary for success. The last Maintenance Philosophy we published is about five years old. With NextGen emerging, it is time to really take stock of where are we, what we need to do, and how we do it effectively and efficiently.

Another challenge is in the area of leadership and management. Managers are asked to accomplish a great deal while, at the same time, ensuring that the NAS operates smoothly. We will be giving them clear objectives and ensur-

Teri Bristol (R),Vice President of Technical Operations for the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization, was interviewed by Glenn A. Forbes (L), a member of the FAAMA Communications Committee, and, Manager, Technical Operations, Tampa OEP SSC.


ing that they have the tools, staffing, and knowledge to get things done.

Meeting impossible deadlines–as well as getting accurate information, and field-ing new equipment to meet the congres-

sional mandates involved are additional challenges. We get lots of feedback, and try to balance the advice while we accom-plish Tech Ops objectives effectively.

Q.WhatdoesTechOpsneedtoemphasizein2009?Bristol:Delivering outstanding customer service and meeting expectations is vital. We need to be transparent to our ATO partners, so that all understand how the pieces fit, how we work together every day, and how we can better communi-cate across all of the lines of business. We need to be accountable to each other as well as answerable for actions and inactions.

We operate in a matrix environment, and have an obligation to make things better, pursue excellence, and take actions that further the goals of Tech Ops. The quality and thoroughness of our work definitely have to meet the highest possible standards.

Q.Whatqualitiesdoyoulookforinyourteamofmanagers?Bristol:Beyond dedication and a can-do attitude, I look for people with honesty, integrity, and effective communication skills who also share information, want to learn continuously – which might mean stepping outside their comfort zone – and, who are eager to take on more responsibility.

Once someone becomes a manager, moving away from being hands on, the farther they move away from the technical. When someone is managing on a daily basis, they need to develop themselves, honing strong core skills that can translate across all lines of business.

When Russ Chew was at the ATO, he was the first to observe that, “Someday, we are going to have managers of facili-ties who will come from industry, from professional backgrounds, or from ATO. It might look different, but that is OK.”

We influence each other by the things we bring with us everyday, and how we do our jobs on a daily basis is how we

teach each other. Certainly, I look for people who are willing to learn in a dif-ferent way.

Q.WhatisTechOpsdoingtomaintainworldleadershipinaviationsafety?Bristol:In terms of air traffic manage-ment, the US is viewed as the premiere Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP) and we need to maintain that position. To do so, means remaining on the cut-ting edge of technology and innovation. Tech Ops has a proud history, and we will discover continuous ways to be bet-ter at what we do.

Moving into a non-punitive, reporting culture, and working to cre-ate a Tech Ops safety program similar to ATSAP, will support our leadership goals in aviation safety. We are col-laborating with our labor partners, and I have had a couple of conversations with Tom Bradley, the President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), who is willing to talk about the issues.

Having an eye on the safety cul-ture while, at the same time, being as efficient as possible by controlling the costs of doing business is a winning proposition. It is not necessarily about more people or more money – is about creating a balance between efficiency and safety. ❙

Teri Bristol, Vice President, Air Traffic Organization Technical Operations, FAA

“ Once someone becomes a manager, moving away from being hands on, the farther they move away from the technical. When someone is managing on a daily basis, they need to develop themselves, honing strong core skills that can translate across all lines of business.”

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p r o F i L e | RepresentativeBetsyMarkey

Appointed to the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep.

Markey said that she was thrilled by her committee appointment because “investing in transportation and infra-structure is critical to our economy and the quality of life in our communities.” As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, she is assigned to two Subcommittees:

• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management

• Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

The January 6, 2009 assignments to the House committee on Transportation and Infrastructure brought the Democratic roster on the Committee to 45 on the 75-seat Committee, a ratio of majority to minority seats consistent with the majority-minority ratio in the House as a whole. Majority Democrats held 41 seats in the previous Congress.

Rep. Markey also is a member of the Committee on Agriculture with three Subcommittee assignments:

• Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research

• General Farm Commodities and Risk Management

• Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry

ABOUTBETSYMARKEYElizabeth Helen “Betsy” Markey, born April 27, 1956, is the sixth of seven children. In 1978 she com-

pleted a degree in Political Science at the University of Florida. Following graduation, her extensive governmental experience began when she was hired in 1978 by U.S. Congressman Herb Harris to work as a legislative aide for the Subcommittee on Post Office and Civil Service.

In 1983, after completing a Masters in Public Administration from American University by taking night classes, she was appointed a Presidential Management Fellow. The U.S. Department of State recruited her in 1984 to develop computer security policies for the newly-formed Office of Information Systems Security, and she held a top secret security clearance and traveled extensively to U.S. embassies and consulates.

Ms. Markey received the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award for creating their first computer secu-rity training program. She also earned assignments in the Treasury Department, as a budget and program analyst, a human resources specialist, and a staff assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of the Customs Service.

After leaving the State Department in 1988, Markey co-founded a software firm, Syscom Services which, by 1995, ranked #99 in the Inc. 500 listing of America’s fastest-growing private compa-nies. In the mid-1990s, Markey also was the owner of Huckleberry’s, a successful and popular coffee and ice cream shop in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado. She sold her small business in 2000.

In 2001, she became involved in local politics for the first time and, once again, inspired success. She founded the Northern Colorado Democratic Business Coalition to encourage small business owners to voice their opin-ions. In 2002, she was elected to Chair the Larimer County Democratic Party, a position she held until January 2005. As Chair of the Larimer County Democratic Party she oversaw a large expansion in the role the party played in Northern Colorado.

From January 2005 to May 2007, Ms. Markey served as U.S. Senator Ken Salazar’s Regional Director for northern and eastern Colorado, a region encom-passing the overwhelming majority of the 4th Congressional District’s people and land. She worked closely with businesses, agricultural groups, elected leaders, non-profits and individual con-stituents to represent their interests.

She resigned the position in May 2007, announcing her decision to run for United States House of Representatives for Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District in June 2007. In the 2008 elec-tion, Markey won by an unexpectedly wide margin, taking 56 percent of the vote, handily replacing a three-term Republican incumbent, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

She has been married to her husband, Jim Kelly, for 24 years, and they have three children: Katie, 23, Erin, 21, and Al, 17. The family moved to their current home in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1995. ❙

RepresentativeBetsyMarkey(D-co 4tH)Elected to Congress on November 4th, 2008, Freshman Congress-woman Betsy Markey is focusing on strengthening transportation systems and infrastructure, bringing fiscal responsibility back to Washington, rebuilding America’s economy, creating and restoring jobs, and creating a lasting energy plan.


e x c e r p t s

Excerpts from a July 29, 2009 article in The Denver Post:

Rep.Markey’sBillWouldExpandMilitaryMental-HealthCare“U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey introduced a bill designed to address the growing problem of post-traumatic stress suffered by soldiers returning home from battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Nicknamed the Honor Act, the Democrat’s bill already has several supporters in the U.S. Senate, including California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an Independent from Connecticut…

Excerpts from a July 28, 2009 press release from the Office of Representative Betsy Markey:

MarkeyBillWillImproveTreatmentofReturningTroops,MilitaryFamilies“We have no greater obligation than to care for our wounded service members,” said Rep. Markey. “Our troops put their lives on the line for our nation – we must fulfill our duty to provide them with the sup-port they need to work through mental health problems and resume normal lives…”

According to the RAND Institute an estimated 620,000 returning service members suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or both. Rep. Markey stressed that the current military mental health system is underfunded, understaffed, and extremely difficult to navigate. The HONOR Act will:

• Give active duty service members access to Vet Centers – the community-based counseling centers veterans use for mental health care services;

• Establish a scholarship for service members who have served in a combat zone to seek professional degrees in behavioral sciences to provide assistance to active and former service members;

• Create a program to employ and train combat veterans as psychi-atric technicians and nurses;

• Extend survivor benefits to families of military personnel who commit suicide and have service-related mental health conditions, including PTSD and TBI;

• Establish an annual joint review and report on the effectiveness of re-integration programs from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

Rep. Markey is hopeful that the HONOR Act will garner broad sup-port in the House, as the measure has already won broad bi-partisan support in the Senate, and President Obama was one of the HONOR Act’s strongest supporters in the Senate last year.

Excerpts from a June 18, 2009 article by Anne Schroeder Mullins in POLITICO:

BetsyMarkeyGoesFromLattestoLawmakingRep. Betsy Markey (D-Colo.) has come a long way from the Colorado coffee shop she owned and operated. As she puts it, with a casual smile: “My life goal wasn’t to make lattes.”

After nearly six months in Congress, Markey has certainly set her sights higher. With an already hefty legislative agenda, this pint-size powerhouse has been turning heads… Markey, 53, who has the deter-mined yet charming look of Sally Field, currently has three bills she’s working on, and she has just introduced the Small Business AID Act…

As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, she has made a fan of Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.). “From where I sit as the chairman, you can see everybody and what’s on their desks and know who’s signing constituent mail, who’s reading memos from their staff and who’s paying attention,” he says. “Betsy is serious about the work and the commitment and learning. She’s prepared.”

It was only a few years back that Markey’s daybook was filled with the commitments of a wife and working mother of three. After establishing solid businesses – including an IT firm and a coffee shop in Old Town Fort Collins, Colo. (the latter of which she sold for twice what she paid for it) – Markey had other ambitions…

She was already familiar with the workings of Washington. After graduating from the University of Florida, she worked on the Hill as a legislative aide and at the State Department. But this time around, the stakes were higher…

Ken Salazar, Secretary of Interior, and former Attorney General of Colorado, says there is a straightforward reason behind her early suc-cess: “It’s not about partisan politics to her. She’s a moderate willing to fight for both parties… ”

Excerpts from a July 22, 2009 press release from the Office of Representative Betsy Markey:

MarkeyVotesToToughenFiscalDisciplineintheFederalGovernmentJuly 22, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2920, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2009 (PAYGO), which will give House pay-as-you-go rules the force of federal law.

PAYGO is a budget enforcement tool that will require all new policies that reduce revenue or expand entitlement spending to be offset else-where in the budget. In doing so, the measure will force a serious exami-nation of wasteful spending that can be eliminated from the budget.

“Families in Colorado make tough choices and budget responsibly every day – it is ludicrous that Congress does not,” said Rep. Markey. “I came to Congress to bring fiscal responsibility back to our federal govern-ment, and we must get back on a pathway to a balanced budget. PAYGO is a proven tool to control spending and is absolutely vital to restoring our nation’s fiscal health. We have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to see that this critical piece of legislation becomes law.”

H.R. 2920 next heads to the Senate for consideration.


FAAMA anticipates one of the largest turnouts in the Association’s 29-year history

and promises a convention experi-ence unlike any other. Don’t miss a special and memorable year!

NewFAAAdministratorRandyBabbittistheKeynoteSpeakerFAA Administrator Randy Babbitt will deliver the Keynote Address on opening day (Monday) and with him will be a number of Associate Administrators for a roundtable discussion. This is the first time our Association has ever hosted an event like this, giving members unprec-edented access to the highest levels of our senior management.

Rep.BetsyMarkeyAlsoWillAddresstheConventionIn addition to the keynote address by Administrator Babbitt, the program on day one – Monday, October 18th – includes an address by the dynamic Betsy Markey, a freshman Representative from the Fourth Congressional District of Colorado (read a complete profile of Rep. Markey on page 14).

ExperienceOutstandingLeadershipTrainingFAA has certified the convention as training, allowing your manager the discretion to release you to attend on duty time. In addition to great net-working opportunities, over 300+ FAA managers will receive first-class train-ing focusing on the convention theme – “It’s Your Serve.”

Year after year, FAAMA delegates consistently describe the training they receive as top-notch and 2009 will be no exception. Three well-known train-ers will deliver a memorable learning experience:

Randy Pennington is a 20-year business performance veteran, author, consultant, and a frequent radio talk show guest/commentator. His ideas and comments on integrity, trust, and commitment have appeared in The New York Times, Executive Excellence, on CNN, Fox News, the ABC radio network, and in numerous professional and trade association journals.

Mike Staver, a powerhouse in the field of strategic advisors, communi-cates his message with humor, energy and passion. He is the author and pre-senter on the best-selling audio pro-gram, 21 Ways to Defuse Anger and Calm People Down, and a featured expert on the video series, Making Change Work, a made-for-cable series dealing with the challenges of organi-zational change.

Dr. Kent Keith is known nation-ally and internationally as the author of “Paradoxical Commandments” and “The Case for Servant Leadership.” He has been featured on the front page of The New York Times and in People magazine, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Family Circle.

BookYourHotelBySeptember28!The South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89183, can be reached toll free at 866.796.7111. You can reserve a room at http://southpointcasino.com/.

The special FAAMA negotiated rate at the South Point is $85 per night, before taxes, valid through September 28, 2009 and based on availability. On www.faama.org, see the “Hotel Reservation” page for more details.

For questions about convention arrangements, please contact Teresa Dolecheck at Conference Event Management (CEM) at 515-254-0289 or via email at [email protected].

“It’s Your serve” uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu October18-22,2009|SouthPointHotelCasino,LasVegas

29thAnnualFAAManagersAssociationgathering of eagles | convention and training conference

2009Exhibitors

2009ConventionPlatinumLevelSponsors($15,000)> Harris Corporation

> SRA International

2009FAAMAPlatinumCorporateMembers> BlueCross BlueShield

> GEICO

2009FAAMAGoldCorporateMember> Long Term Care Partners, LLC


Sunday,10/18• Early Registration

• President’s Corporate Reception – Texas Style Barbeque

Monday,10/19• Registration

• Opening Ceremonies

• Association Business: Nominations (Vice President and Treasurer) and State of the Association

• Keynote Address: FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt

• Panel Discussion: FAA Administrator and FAA Associate Administrators

• Address: Rep. Betsy Markey

• Training: Randy Pennington – On My Honor, I Will: Proven Principles for Integrity Driven Leadership

Tuesday,10/20• Training: Michael Staver – Leadership

Isn’t for Cowards: How to Lead Courageously in a Turbulent Age

Wednesay,10/21• NextGen Component –

Data Communication

• HR Update: Ventris Gibson, Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management

• Staying Out of the Limelight: Paul Hernandez, FAA System Operations Litigation

• The State of EEO: Fanny Riviera, FAA Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights

• Association Business: Nominating Speeches (Vice President and Treasurer); Committee Reports

• Banquet/Awards Dinner

Thursday,10/22• Training: Dr. Kent Keith – Servant

Leadership: Finding Meaning by Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Your Customers and Colleagues

• Association Business: Seconding Speeches (Vice President and Treasurer); Committee Reports; Election of Vice President and Treasurer; Oaths of Office.

Schedule

1: OST Global

2: FAA Safety (Tarter Organization)

3: Risser Financial Services

4: FAA NextGen Data Comm (AJW-55)

5: FAA Civil Rights (ACR-1)

6: FAA Safety (Pipes Organization)

7: NHCFAE

8: Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA)

9-12: Adacel ATC Systems

13: Livingston Financial

14: FAA Sysops TFM

15: ATAC Corporation

16: F.E.D.S.

17: Robinson Aviation Inc. (RVA)

18: FAA 1st Federal Credit Union

19-20: Long Term Care Partners, LLC

21: Raytheon

22: Advanced ATC

23: Plantronics

24: N.A.R.F.E.

25: Systems Atlanta

26-27: Emcor Enclosures

28: Advancia Aeronautica

29-30: SRA International

31-32: GEICO

33-34: BlueCross BlueShield

35-37: FAA Human Resources (AHR-1)

38-39: FAAMA Membership

2009ExHIBITORS(ByBoothNumber)

18 managing the skiesSept/Oct2009www.faama.org

GlobalAviationSafety:NowandintheFutureby william r. voss, president and ceo, flight safety foundation

In the world of global aviation, a “good” year may have 10 or 12 major

accidents while in other “not go good” years, the number of accidents

can be as high as eighteen. Unfortunately, in 2009, at mid-year we

already are at 12 accidents, depending upon how some accidents are

classified. In this article, I will address future global aviation trends

and challenges, taking into consideration what we have learned from

the past.

www.faama.orgmanaging the skiesSept/Oct200919

Major Aviation Accident MetricsFirst, Chart No. 1 (Major Accidents 1998-2008) displays all the major com-mercial jet accidents in the past decade. Since the mid-90s, we have done a good job of driving these numbers There is concern now, because we are seeing the number of accidents increase.

Chart No. 2 (Major Accident Rate: Five Year Running Average) shows that when the data is smoothed out, the downward accident trend has flattened, and the running average of accidents appears to be trending upward. That is a major concern. If accidents continue at this pace, the major accident rate will be similar to the 1999 pace.

Many aviation safety professionals will be working very hard to try to have a better second half of 2009. There is no question that if this trend continues, the five year average will take a turn higher,

which is something we have not seen for a very long time.

Loss of Control Now the Biggest KillerNow consider what

types or categories of accidents we are seeing

Chart No. 3 (Breakdown: Accident Categories). Loss

of control in flight is a very big deal of late. Runway incur-

sions are another area of concern. And finally, we have the common

cause of controlled flight into ter-rain (CFIT) which has seen a bit of

a decline. These statistics caught our attention because formerly CFIT was a

more common accident cause than loss of control.

Chart No. 4 (Regional Rate – Western-built Jet Hull Losses) is a snapshot of the accident rate last year, using data from a recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety report. In this chart, certain areas of the world display high accident rates.

In the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a great deal of effort is being made to reduce the number of accidents. However, the Middle East, Africa, and South America remain areas of concern although there is some improvement in those areas as well.

Public Perception of Global Aviation Safety: Ten Major Crashes Since August 2008 Today, public perception of global avia-tion safety is a growing problem. This level of public concern has not been observed since the summer of 2005 when there was an airplane crash virtu-ally every week – and sometime two crashes. As a result, a lot of structural changes happened quickly, including creation of the European blacklist.

In terms of global aviation safety, since August 2008, there have been ten major commercial aviation accidents:

• Spanair Airlines: Madrid, Spain: August 20, 2008

• XL Airways: Perpignan, France: September 22, 2008

• Continental Airlines: Denver, Colorado: December 2008

• US Airways: New York, New York: January 15, 2009

• Colgan Air: Buffalo, New York: February 12, 2009

• Turkish Airways: Amsterdam, Nederland: February 25, 2009

• Emirates Airlines: Melbourne, Australia: March 20, 2009

• FedEx: Tokyo, Japan: March 23, 2009

Air France: Atlantic Ocean off Brazil: June 1, 2009

• Yemen Airways: Moroni, Comoros: June 30, 2009

In August, 2008, a Spanair flight crashed on take off. (A systems failure and pilots’ error combined to cause the crash of the Spanair Boeing MD82 that killed 154 people in Madrid last year, concluded a preliminary report released August 17, 2009.)

Shortly thereafter, XL Airways crashed into the ocean during a test flight. In the immediate aftermath, the prosecu-tors made off with the flight recorder. In December, 2008, a Continental flight crashed in Denver – a runway incursion that fortunately was not fatal.

In January, 2009 we had the “miracle on the Hudson” when everyone survived the crash of US Airways Flight 1549. However, the outcome was very differ-ent in February, 2009 when Colgan Air crashed in a residential neighborhood near Buffalo. Congress has held numer-ous hearings and the FAA and indus-try are addressing some of the issues raised. Shortly after the Buffalo crash, on February 25, 2009, a Turkish Airways jet crashed on approach in Amsterdam.

“��Today,�public�perception�of�global�aviation�safety�is�a�growing�prob-lem.�This�level�of�public�concern�has�not�been�observed�since�the�summer�of�2005�when�there�was�an�airplane�crash�virtually�every�week�–�and�sometime�two�crashes.”


Many in the US may not be aware of the March 20, 2009 Emirates tail strike in Australia which occurred on an A340 leaving Melbourne with almost 280 people on board. This was a simple error in data entry by the pilots. The aircraft didn’t set the right power settings for take off. Luckily, the pilots figured it out before it was too late, threw the power forward, staggered into the air dragging the tail, rolled 1,000 feet in the grass, spent the next two minutes trying to get back up to field elevation. This event may ultimately be categorized as a major accident due to the aircraft damage.

Next was the March 23rd FedEx accident in Tokyo, followed by the loss of Air France 447 on June 1, 2009. Neither the flight data recorders nor the cockpit voice recorder were found. What we are hearing about this accident is discourag-ing: risks are being discussed that have not yet been mitigated.

Then, Yemen Airways lost an aircraft off the coast of the Comoros. This crash will have a significant political effect in Europe because there were 60 French citizens aboard the flight, and this par-ticular aircraft had some ramp checks with difficult results in 2007.

Looking to the Future A number of new trends are emerg-ing. Industry and government worked together in the early days of Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) to do a lot to reduce CFIT. The industry largely succeeded, removing the low hanging fruit in this category by developing new technologies such as Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS).

Now, we expect a much more com-plicated set of problems. An increasing percentage of fatal accidents are caused by loss of control, so we are solidly back in the human factors business, trying to understand why humans, the aircraft, and their automation continue to get tangled up.

{CHART 1} major accidents: wordlwide commercial jets 1998-2008

{CHART 3} major accident rate: western-built commercial jets* 1998-2008

{CHART 2} breakdown: accident categories


Recently, I have seen preliminary data that reveals quite a few anomalies in the world of automation – more than is generally recorded. Pilots do not always deal well with automation anomalies. This is becoming something that we need to consider very seriously, because it also can reflect how we are training and preparing our people.

This is not new. In the Kenya Airways crash several years ago, the pilots taking off did not turn on the autopilot as called for by procedure. Neither crew member realized that the autopilot had not been turned on. Cross check and crew coordi-nation are simple things, but they add up to some loss of control issues that have grabbed our attention.

So that is where we are today – not truly a solid spot. It is still a very safe system with a great safety record. It is our job to worry, and we are worrying – plus, when I look to the future, I worry a little more.

In fact, the current explosion of the world’s middle class will have a signifi-cant effect on global aviation. Recession or not, seventy million people a year are entering that demographic. By 2030, ninety million people worldwide will be entering the middle class. These people are living in countries with relatively stable political systems, they are going to school, and they have decided that they are not going to live in the village with mom and dad. They are going to be out there doing high tech jobs and changing the world.

My family made that transition in the early 1900s. What is different today is that the new, emerging middle class lives in areas that require air transportation. For that reason, we expect to see a huge demand for air transportation along with the skilled people to make it happen.

The international revised forecast, after taking into account economic realities, can be seen on Chart No. 5 (ICAO|IATA Revised Forecast). This data is very recent, and shows a serious dip. However, it does appear that the

revised forecast will start to climb back and show growth in the next few years, erasing some of the losses, and regaining the original path.

In the longer term, at some point the demographic realities absolutely trump everything else. People are going to get jobs far away from their original homes, they are going to live in cities, and they are going to want to go home again. The airplane is the only way to do it.

Chart No. 6 (Where Traffic Growth Will Occur) shows that – not surpris-ingly – the biggest growth will occur in Asia, although there will be substantial growth in Europe, especially in the Eastern part. Growth in North America will be modest. In terms of regions, after a lifetime of being number one, North America will be number three. Anyone who thinks that we can put a box around US aviation must realize that it is an idea whose time has passed.

Until recently, we lived in a world that was experiencing explosive growth. Today, we have a tough economic down-turn where people are tempted to cut corners – plus, we have regulatory agen-cies that have been hollowed out.

The US is actually an exception to this rule. But when you look worldwide, people are under tremendous pressure to cut corners. When growth returns, this is a risk that will continue to exist, and it is not a matter of if, but when.

Safety Information: Share It, Protect It, and Act Upon ItSo what do we do in the US? This may seem like mom and apple pie for anyone in the safety business, but safety is all about being information driven. We have to find ways to share the information, to protect the information that relates to safety, and then act on the information.

First, we need to get better at sharing information between competitors. Since its inception in the 1940s, Flight Safety Foundation has been doing this, but it is something that we need to get better at industry wide. Some odd barriers have

been erected between segments of the industry both here and elsewhere around the world.

Aviation is a highly regulated industry with a lot of worry about antitrust issues that lead to a great deal of concern about who can get in a room together. This concern should not preclude competitors from getting together to discuss safety initiatives, and it does not.

Also, there is a lot of information that does not belong on the blogs or in the bars: it belongs at the conference table, being shared by competitors (if necessary) before we have to start talk-ing about the same issues in accident reports. As far as we have progressed – and we have come a long way – we simply are not yet very good at this kind of sharing. It is strictly hit or miss.

There are many things we need to focus on as we transition to a new world of aviation with new types of automa-tion. NextGen air traffic control is a classic example. When NextGen is implemented, roles, responsibilities, and data will be shared between the air and the ground. We need to get a lot better at sharing safety information between the air and the ground. That always has been a weakness.

For example, we have a great deal of data that describes unstabilized approaches, and this is a real world example of segments not working together. If you are flying an aircraft with winglets and are told to fly 180 (knots) to the marker, you have a choice of lying or flying an unstabilized approach because

“��What�is�different�today�is�that�the�new,�emerging�middle�class�lives�in�areas�that�require�air�transporta-tion.�For�that�reason,�we�expect�to�see�a�huge�demand�for�air�trans-portation�along�with�the�skilled�people�to�make�it�happen.”


it is physically impossible to fly 180 at the marker with winglets. As an air traffic control in the 1980s, I knew that a 757 could not do 180 at the marker. However, the industry is still calling for “180 at the marker.” How does this make sense?

We are very slow to adapt to these kinds of changes. With NextGen, we envision moving air traffic control sepa-ration responsibilities into the cockpit. To make this happen successfully, it is not enough to be able to work it out on paper – you also have to work out a fool-proof communications system between both parties so that there is a way to exchange the safety information as well. This will be a big adaptation.

Sharing Information Among 190 State Regulatory AgenciesInformation must be exchanged between the regulators throughout the world – and this cannot be understated. When you consider that many regula-tors are understaffed or undertrained, some will fail at doing their jobs. Can we afford to act as if we are the only regulator on the planet, or can we start cooperating and sharing information with others?

Sharing information is at the heart of the bilateral agreements being worked on now between the US and Europe. If you have 190 countries standing alone and proudly being their own regula-tor, then you have 190 potential points of failure. At any one time, some of these people will fail at their job. If you have those same 190 states watching each other’s back and exchanging data with each other, there is a great deal of redundancy.

If an operator does not want to cooperate with the rules – does not want to be safe – there is nowhere to hide. With cooperation, it is possible to move from 190 points of failure to 190 layers of redundancy. It never works out quite that neatly, but mutual recogni-tion and sharing of safety data is vitally important.

{CHART 4} regional rate – western-built jet hull losses

{CHART 6} where traffic growth will occur

{CHART 5} icao iata revised forecast: substantial downward revision of forecast air travel post-financial sector crisis


Protecting Safety Data from CriminalizationProtecting safety information also is vital. Today, the public demands account-ability. Criminal prosecutions of aircraft accidents are becoming more frequent, and this is an issue with a direct inter-ference in safety investigations. Because aviation is so international, in the US, we have to be respectful of the requirements of justice here and around the world.

People have a right to know what happened. Establishing blame is a part of the justice system and the justice system must be respected. On the safety side, people in the justice system need to know when they are treading on vital issues of public interest such as the recording and data protection that will keep people alive.

It is critical to do something about what caused a crash in order to prevent it from happening again. In 2006, Flight Safety Foundation joined with other groups and issued a resolution in opposition to the criminalization of accident investigations, explaining to the world why it is counter-productive to criminalize accidents.

In the US, the Foundation has made some moves to protect vital informa-tion sources such as the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA). These data programs are essential to the safety of our system and we are trying to get them the same level of protection as cockpit voice recorders. We need con-straints and controls for judges in civil and criminal cases.

Acting on Safety InformationThere is a great deal of safety informa-tion in the backlog that needs to be acted upon. Recently there was a congres-sional hearing that examined, among other things, fatigue risk management, especially as it related to the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo. FAA leadership is step-ping forward to accelerate rule making in this area, and I encourage them to lean upon the science to deal with fatigue risk

management in a way that can make a contribution to aviation safety.

Fatigue risk management has to do with what people do on their days off, as well as their lifestyle and schedules – and, it affects profitability. At this point, both labor and management may be ready to really move along with discus-sions about fatigue risk management. This is the future. It is a genuine human problem that must be addressed.

Likewise, training is something we must get serious about. It cannot be band aid fixes which I probably fear most. For the first time, we are looking at charts that show a slow increase in accidents – at the same time, other charts predict crowds at the boarding gate ready to overwhelm the system. This is not an environment that can properly be served by incremental fixes.

In fact, training really has not been looked at seriously since pre-World War II. There have been adjustments, of course, but we must ask ourselves – what are the right qualifications and how can these qualifications be measured beyond simple hours? Hours do not mean much. People can buy hours.

The aviation industry has to get to the fundamentals of competency-based train-ing. Today, we need to consider an inter-national system overhaul so that a license issued in the US will be equally good overseas. It is a big piece of work, but we do not have a choice. Competency-based training has to begin now.

As we consider the accidents being investigated today, we have to ask if yesterday’s big scenarios are the same

as today, and, a lot of them are not. As a young man studying for my air transport rating, all I thought about was how to handle an engine failure at take off. It is not the big thing anymore.

Now, aspiring pilots need to think about what will happen if they suddenly are handed an aircraft in a configuration with which they are not familiar, with indications that are ambiguous. This is the new life or death challenge that faces pilots. Are today’s pilots really prepared for this? I would say marginally, at best. It is a different type of threat and we need to re-examine our priorities.

Data is showing more and more inter-esting combinations of pilots interacting with automation – sometimes ending in unusual ways. It is not just about the Air France loss over the ocean. Consider the Turkish Airways crash that happened at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam – a sensor malfunction caused the aircraft to enter a different automation mode, but the automation shift was not picked up by the pilot so it was an unstabilized approach. This is the same sort of situation as having an unmanaged automation error at 35,000 feet. Both incidents illustrate the new types of challenges that we must consider.

In summary, the accident rate is starting to increase and unless we have a remarkably safe second half of 2009, we are likely to see the five year trend line shift up. At the same time, the causes for the increase in accidents are shifting. We also know that we are going to see growth in aviation because of the growth in population.

Safety information is critical, but to be effective, it must be shared, protected, and acted upon. Today is the time to act upon fatigue and training – two tough issues that have been on the back burner for a long time because of constraints, but those constraints are gone now, and the global aviation industry must seize the moment! ❙

Note:�This�article�is�based�on�a�June�30,�2009�address�by�

William�R.�Voss�to�the�Aero�Club�in�Washington,�DC.

“��At�this�point,�both�labor�and�man-agement�may�be�ready�to�really�move�along�with�discussions�about�fatigue�risk�management.�This�is�the�future.”


LEADING INTO THE FUTURE

AVIATION SAFETY

As the costs to deliver training increase and the financial viability of many air carriers’ declines, does ERAU envision a need to reinvent itself?ERAU is a learning community, and as such is in a constant state of reinven-tion. Our active safety program now includes an effort to fully integrate Safety Management Systems (SMS) into our daily operations. Recently, ERAU developed and deployed the first nor-mobaric altitude chamber in the world for the use of our students and staff.

We work closely with an industry advisory group to tailor our educa-tion and training offerings to where our students will be in five years. Academic offerings at Embry-Riddle range from the practical to the theoreti-cal, and always are future oriented.

The university leverages its two resi-dential campuses (Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ) with an active world-wide distributed education campus to reach students where they live and work. At ERAU, “we educate our students for their future, not our past.”

PILOT TRAINING

How is ERAU helping to reduce runway incursions through better pilot training and the ‘moving map for ground vehicles’ as designed by ERAU students? Since 2003, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), a new technology that allows pilots in the cockpit and air traffic controllers on the ground to “see” aircraft traffic with much more precision, has been installed in the entire ERAU fleet.

Our all glass cockpit/ADS-B-equipped training fleet leads the nation in flight technology. This NextGen technology gives our pilots a complete ground and air picture that is even superior to what the tower and approach control have available and also allows much more efficient use of the airspace.

How is ERAU increasing pilot knowledge of airport signage to reduce runway incursions?One technique includes the real-world replication of airport signage in the uni-versity simulations. All signs are present during training. Students follow instruc-tions and learn to obey signage in the safety of a virtual environment.

ERAU conducts detailed classroom and flight instructor to student instruc-tion on signage and airport operations, and requires students to have the airport

diagram on their knee during all taxi operations. We work hard to instill flight discipline into all of our students because disciplined pilots repeat produc-tive activities and are much less likely to make mistakes.

ERAU is a leader in the use of simulators. How does the university use simulators to provide better pilot training?Embry-Riddle integrates flight simula-tion in the form of highly developed realistic flight training environments. Flight training devices (FTDs) are a highly effective medium for training ab initio pilots: ab initio is Latin for “from the beginning.” At Embry-Riddle, we use the term to describe flight students who are total novices.

These students start with zero hours of flight experience and aviation related knowledge. ERAU delivers all the

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Educators Answer Questions About Aviation Safety, Pilot Training, and Human Factors

NEEDCAPTIONPLEASE


instruction, education, and training that transforms these students into highly competent commercial pilots with skills at the airline transport pilot level (ATP).

Embry-Riddle extensively integrates FTD-based training into its FAA Part 142 approved flight training curricula. As part of the effort to advance the state of the art for the use of nonmotion flight simulation, Embry-Riddle conducted research measuring the transfer of train-ing from FTD-based flight training to real-world aircraft flight.

The result of this research was the realization that when students train in a scenario-based virtual environ-ment, increasing the behavioral fidel-ity increased training effectiveness by enabling more training to occur in the more cost-efficient virtual environment. This approach benefits students and instructional organizations.

The university FTDs are referred to as “Level 6+.” The FTDs were devel-oped in coordination with the Frasca Corporation. These devices include aerodynamic modeling for all aspects of flight and behavior simulation.

This modeling is beyond all pre-scriptions for qualification by the FAA. One important aspect of these simula-tors is called SAFTE-VAT™ (Synthetic Automated Flight Training Environment with Virtual Air Traffic). SAFTE-VAT™ integrates a selectable, scalable simulation providing virtual air traffic and ATC.

Student pilots interact with the sys-tem based on scenarios that replicate the real world to include radio communica-tions. Radio communications are acti-vated with voice recognition technology. The university training approach occurs under FAR Part 142 in the same manner airlines conduct training under the FAA’s Advance Qualification Program (AQP).

ERAU is the only major Part 142 training provider in general aviation. We utilize a fleet of level 6+ flight training devices that go well beyond the mini-mum FAA requirements in visual display and flight control fidelity.

As a result, ERAU accomplished 35 percent of our flight training in these FTDs saving well over 45,000 flight hours per year and increasing student proficiency and success. Additionally, ERAU is doing pioneering work with Frasca International to bring Audion Fidelity to our flight simulator fleet by including live ATC voice prompts and traffic in the FTDs.

Following the events of September 11, 2001 and the student pilots involved, what security checks do you conduct on prospective ERAU students?All students at ERAU are vetted through the TSA process. US students have to prove citizenship and international stu-dents are subject to background inves-tigations – only when those checks are complete can a student pilot fly at ERAU. Also, ERAU had zero involvement with any unauthorized international students before, during, or after 9/11.

Often, there are communication misunderstandings between foreign students and air traffic controllers. What training do you provide so that foreign students can better understand US ATC phraseology and clearly communicate on the frequency?ERAU has a language institute that ensures that all international pilots can speak, read, and write functional avia-tion English, prior to flight.

HUMAN FACTORS PSYCHOLOGY

Could you tell us about human factor studies at ERAU which enhance aviation safety?Human Factors Psychology is an aca-demic discipline which covers a wide range of applied science. It can be loosely defined as a science that seeks to bridge the gap between humans and their technology; to help people with the fit between the engineered system and the human component.

Safety is the primary goal of the pilot and the Human Factors special-ist. One member of the Embry-Riddle

Human Factors Psychology faculty, Dr. Albert J. Boquet, is co-founder of an important movement in applied Safety called the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System which seeks to break the cascade of errors leading up to accidents and incidents in aviation, in medicine, or wherever humans interact with their technology.

It is safe to say that safety is the one topic on which every class that even remotely deals with the science of Human Factors at ERAU focuses (and there are dozens), and, in fact, Human Factors Psychology is a minor field of study at ERAU. It is the reason why we do much of our research.

Congratulations on having an altitude sickness lab. How is the lab designed to work and what are the benefits?Embry-Riddle’s “altitude sickness lab” really is a hypoxia chamber that very effectively demonstrates the effects of reduced oxygen on cognitive ability. It is an enclosed space in which the partial pressure of O2 is carefully reduced. As aircraft fly higher in larger pressur-ized tubes, it is very important that our students, particularly the flight students, know what the subtle symptoms of reduced O2 are to take emergency steps to correct it.

The effects can occur from a variety of sources such as loss of cabin pressure and are profound and extremely rapid. A quick response, obtained through aware-ness and symptom recognition, is crucial for survival. Our ‘normobaric’ hypoxia chamber is an important new training tool at ERAU and also is an important tie in with our focus on safety. ❙

Questions�about�safety�and�pilot�training�at�Embry-

Riddle�Aeronautical�University,�Daytona�Beach�

Campus,�were�answered�by�Dr.�Dan�Macchiarella,�Chair,�

Aeronautical�Science�Department,�and�Frank�Ayers,�Chair,�

Flight�Department.��

Questions�regarding�human�factors�psychology�were�

answered�by�Dr.�Jon�French,�Professor,�Human�Factors�

Department.


T he objective of this article is not to detail the process of filing a discrimination complaint or

grievance but rather to theorize as to why employees file Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints or grievances. In answering my own ques-tion, I’m going to go way out on a limb here and opine that it is largely due to actions taken, or not taken, by manage-ment. Other possible areas of concern might include perceived problems with co-workers, customers, etc.

But what causes some employees to formalize their concerns by filing a complaint or grievance? Most EEO Complainants pursue EEO complaints because they are:

• Desperate for someone to listen to them,

• Have no other options for voicing a concern about a workplace problem, or

• Chronic complainers and EEO will “listen to anyone about virtually anything.”

In my various past HR positions, from reviewing many EEO complaints and grievances, I did observe that most employees who pursue EEO complaints (and grievances) are “desperate for someone to listen to them,” and feel that they “have no other options for voicing a concern about a workplace problem.”

My subsequent experience as a contract EEO investigator and counselor and my discussions with employees in the course of conducting HR- and EEO-related training sessions has solidified my belief that employees’ feelings of desperation are major factors in their

decision to file a complaint or grievance. In training classes, I often describe

this feeling as follows: “I felt as if my back was against the wall and there was nothing I could do except to file a complaint.” Typically, employees would say something like they had raised an issue(s) with their supervisor, often more than once, and either he/she did not get back to them at all, did not get back to them in a timely manner, or did not appear to take their concerns seriously.

Chronic complainers also are consis-tent with my experience. Many of my HR colleagues and I have exchanged “war stories” about what we perceived to be chronic complainers, and I have had many similar discussions with EEO col-leagues. These chronic complainers seem to be permanently disgruntled about one thing or another and tend to make use of the complaint and/or grievance system again and again.

Some employees also try to “game” the complaint and/or grievance system; for example, I have observed situations in which I believe an employee became aware of a pending agency disciplinary action and quickly filed an EEO com-plaint, so that when the disciplinary action was actually issued it would look as if the discipline was taken in reprisal for the protected activity of filing a complaint.

However, in my experience, the overwhelming majority of employees who filed EEO complaints or grievances did so because they felt they had a legitimate concern which management had failed to address. Even when management consid-ers an employee complaint or grievance to be “frivolous,” and the “reasonable person” described in US Supreme Court

decisions might agree, the employee clearly sees it differently.

Is Human Resources Regarded as an Arm of Management?HR often is perceived as non-responsive to and/or disinterested in employee prob-lems, while EEO is perceived as willing to listen to virtually anything. HR offices in many agencies have been reduced in numbers to the point that remaining staff is hard-pressed to keep up with such fundamental tasks as announcing vacancies, which may account for per-ceptions that they are non-responsive or disinterested in employee problems. But I also think troubled employees some-times avoid going to HR because they see that office as an arm of management.

If EEO is willing to “listen to anyone about virtually anything,” I think that is actually a very good thing and also that it is very consistent with EEO’s role. I offer as “evidence” the role my friend John Jones used to play. Another friend, Phil Varnak, and I were John’s team-mates for years on a softball team which played games in the early evening at the Denver Federal Center. We never knew if John was going to make it to the games on time because, in his capacity as Director of Civil Rights for the Bureau of Reclamation, he spent countless hours talking to employees about their job-related concerns.

John had worked “both sides of the street,” having been a Personnel Officer for two different agencies before going into EEO, and recognized that many trou-bled employees just need to find someone within the organization to whom they can “vent” their frustrations. John’s “open

Why Do Employees File Discrimination Complaints and Grievances? AdvicetoManagersandSupervisors

BySteveOppermann,Consultant/Trainer,GRA,Inc.

door” policy included phone calls and he would talk to anyone who contacted him for as long as they wanted to talk.

Preventing complaints wasn’t his specific objective in those conversations, but I am convinced that many poten-tial complaints didn’t get filed because employees with work-related concerns had the chance to talk with someone who was willing to listen carefully to their “story” without judging them.

Next, I will examine what, if any-thing, management can do to prevent complaints from being filed and provide suggestions to employees on how they can potentially resolve issues/concerns short of litigation. As I noted in the beginning of this article, in my opinion, employees often file EEO complaints and grievances based on actions taken, or not taken, by management. For example, managers and supervisors fill vacant positions; make selections for perma-nent promotions; detail and temporarily promote employees to other positions; assign performance ratings; and approve training and awards.

Common Causes of EEO Complaints (and Grievances)

“failure to communicate.”One of the most famous movie quotes comes from the classic 1967 prison chain-gang movie, “Cool Hand Luke.” The rebellious title character, played

by Paul Newman, who keeps trying to escape and is beaten with increasing severity when he is recaptured, is told by the prison’s Captain that “What we have here is failure to communicate... ” I would speculate that the root cause of the overwhelming majority of complaints and grievances is some form of miscom-munication or a lack of communication.

perceptions of inequitable treatment. If an employee feels that he/she is being treated differently, and worse, than co-workers, that employee may suspect that the perceived inequitable treatment is based on such factors as race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability.

employee concerns not addressed by supervisor. I’m sorry to say I was guilty of this “sin” on multiple occasions. I eventually real-ized that if an employee brings a matter of concern to a supervisor’s attention, she/he actually expects a response, and in a timely manner at that.

unannounced or unexplained changes in policies or practices. If one works in any bureaucracy, including the Federal Government, long enough, he/she is very likely to encounter this situation. In an organiza-tion where little trust exists between an employee and a supervisor, the employee

may wonder if such unannounced or unexplained changes in policies or prac-tices are related to illegal discrimination.

resentments and overall low morale. While I think there is still room for dis-agreement among management theorists as to the link, if any, between morale and productivity, my experience tells me that if morale goes downhill in an office it won’t be long until productivity follows. Accordingly, I think it is in the best interest of managers and supervisors to establish and maintain a high level of morale at all times.

perceptions of bias or stereotyping.Suppose, for example, that the women in an office are expected to make coffee, plan office gatherings, etc. If so, they may feel that they are the victims of stereotyping. As for bias, a Washington Post-ABC News poll found that three in 10 Americans acknowledge feelings of racial prejudice, so it would not be surprising for employ-ees to perceive bias in their workplace. Along similar lines, about two-thirds of women who responded to a recent survey by the Financial Women’s Association reported feeling that gender played a role in holding them back.

avoiding employee grievances

An employee has the statutory right to file an EEO complaint, and can file a grievance under either a negotiated

w E b w A T c H

MembersofFAAMAgainenormousbenefitsbyenteringtheAsso-ciation’snewly-designedwebsite(www.�faama.org)throughthe“MemberLogin”ontheupperrightsideoftheHomescreen.

Byclickingthroughtowww.faama.org/login,FAAMAmemberscanLogin/SignUp–ifalreadyregisteredforthesite–of,ifnot,theycanclickthroughtoaSignUppagewheretheywillbeaskedfortheiremailaddress,password,firstandlastname,andFAAMAMemberID.

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FAAMAMembers,onceloggedin,canviewthemission,vision,andphilosophyofFAAMAaswellasitshistory,bylaws,andpolicies.

MemberscanclickthroughtophotosandcontactinformationfortheBoardofDirectorsandvariousAssociationCommittees,readlegislativeupdates,learnaboutthelatestFEEAscholarships,readarticlesaboutretirement,learnaboutnewtrainingoppor-tunities,printoutnecessaryforms,catchthelatestnews,readaboutRegionalChapteractivity,viewphotos,accessAssociationPressReleasesarchivedbackto2007,andcheckoutarchivednewsfromavarietyofindustrypublications.

Inthefar-rightcolumnofthemembersonlyarea,membersalsocanusehotlinkstocontractarticles(mediationandtentativeagreearticles),seenewpostingsunderCareerOpportunities,andaccessadditionalinformationsources,including:AINonline,�Airports�Council�International,�FedSmith,�Focus�FAA,andtheWashington�Post.

FAAMA Website: “For Members Only” Benefits

grievance procedure (for bargaining unit employees covered by a specific collective bargaining agreement), or the agency’s administrative grievance procedure (for everyone else).

There will always be instances where, through misunderstanding or lack of communication, disagreements between a supervisor and an employee will surface. A grievance may even occur as a result of a personality conflict, or plain stub-bornness on the part of the supervisor, the employee, or both. The supervisor’s objective should be to resolve a complaint or dissatisfaction before it becomes a grievance.”

One way of doing that is, I believe, for supervisors to have a genuine “open door” policy, meaning that they clearly and consistently welcome candid employee input of any kind, even when such candor includes implied or overt criticism of the supervisor. Sometimes supervisors talk about having an open door policy but make it obvious by their actions that they really don’t want to be bothered or don’t want to hear any “whining or complaining.”

For example, a friend once worked for a supervisor who dealt with ongoing employee concerns about their stressful work environment by banning the use of the word “stress.” Simple? Yes. Effective? I don’t think so.

if employees can’t talk to you, they may talk about you

If employees don’t think they can talk to you, they may start talking about you, and not necessarily in positive terms, so if an employee wants to meet with you, I would suggest that you schedule that meeting sooner rather than later, at a time that is mutually convenient and that will allow you to focus completely on what the employee is trying to tell you.

Also, I strongly endorse the practice often associated with retired General Electric Chief Executive Officer Jack Welsh: “management by walking about.” Most supervisors, particularly first-line supervisors, also have non-supervisory

responsibilities, and typically have to do a juggling act to get both pieces of the job accomplished. I had non-supervisory responsibilities, including special projects, throughout my career as an HR supervisor and manager, and I sometimes forgot that, as a supervisor, getting work done through my subordinates was my highest priority.

Consequently, I did not get out of my office as often as I should have. When I finally started getting out on a regular basis, I not only found it easier to build rapport and credibility with my employ-ees, but also picked up “intelligence” which allowed me to deal with small problems before they became large ones.

The “bottom line” is that what you as a supervisor can do to prevent or mitigate complaints and grievances is to manage your unit in a fair, equitable, and respectful manner, and to demonstrate your willing-ness to hear, and respond to, any employee concerns. Along those lines, I continue to believe it is critically important for a super-visor to build and maintain a relationship of trust with her/his employees. It has been my experience that a relationship of trust can survive good-faith disagreements over individual issues.

If a complaint or grievance is filed, I think both sides should make every rea-sonable effort to resolve the matter at the earliest stage. Generally speaking, the lon-ger a grievance or complaint is unresolved and the farther up the system the matter progresses, the more difficult it becomes to resolve, as positions on both sides tend to harden and factions develop in the work unit, with some employees support-ing management and others supporting the employee. By the time the dispute is finally settled, the working relationship between the supervisor and the employee may be broken beyond repair, and morale and productivity in the unit are likely to have been adversely affected. ❙

Steve Oppermann�is�a�human�resources�and�equal�

employment�opportunity�consultant/trainer�with�GRA,�Inc.�

He�served�as�Regional�Director�of�Personnel�for�GSA�and�

advised�and�represented�management�in�six�agencies.�

©�2009�Steve�Oppermann.�All�rights�reserved.�Reproduced�

with�express�written�permission�from�Steve�Oppermann.�

Originally�published�in�Manager’s�Toolbox�atFedSmith.com.


C onfused, stressed, afraid? These are just a few of the emotions people across our country are

experiencing in light of the current economic situation. Whether you are starting to build a nest egg, or are close to retirement, the reality is that negative market performance has likely impacted your investments. That is not going to make you feel good, and you should not pretend otherwise. We are humans, not machines, and humans react emotion-ally to circumstances beyond (and even within) our control.

The tricky thing with emotional responses, though, is that they may result in ill-advised action – or worse, inaction. It’s nearly impossible to make a sound decision when you are responding out of fear or anxiety. On the other hand, it’s easy to do nothing at all when we are overwhelmed.

Neither of these approaches is produc-tive or beneficial over the long term. Once you’ve acknowledged your own emotions, the next step is to take action and take back control of your financial life. Being proactive will empower you. The following suggestions can get you started.

Consider What Is Important To You and WhyYou already know what’s important to you, but you may not spend a lot of time think-ing about why certain items are on that list. For example, you may think having money is important to you. Who doesn’t feel that way? But the reason why money is impor-tant is likely different from one person to another. You may want to retire early, buy a second home (or a first home), send a child to college, or purchase a new car.

When you explore the reason why things matter to you, what you’re really doing is thinking in terms of concrete goals rather than broad concepts. This is a great way to start taking charge of your finances because you can then generate an inventory of specific goals you want to accomplish.

Develop a Financial PlanIt’s a bit difficult to create a complex financial plan on your own, but what you can do is take action by finding a profes-sional to assist you. The goals that you have identified are too important to leave up to chance, emotional decisions, or inertia. Once you come to that realization, the decision to craft a plan using the services of a financial professional is easy.

Dispelling Myths About Financial PlanningThere are numerous reasons why people choose not to take action during chal-lenging financial situations, especially when it comes to developing a financial plan. There are myriad myths surround-ing financial planning, but the following are probably the most common. Don’t let them stop you from taking smart action.

myth #1: financial planning is for the wealthy. No. Financial planning is for anyone who wants to take control of his or her financial goals. Consider instead that a lot of wealthy individuals may have become wealthy because they did financially intelligent things like create plans and act on them.

And what does wealthy mean, anyway? The fact is, even millionaires often don’t define themselves as wealthy and may think that they belong to the middle-class or upper middle-class. We’ve come up with so many different terms for people’s economic standing that it’s hard to say where you fall. Why not find out by talk-ing to a professional?

myth #2: i don’t need insurance until i’m old. or, i have enough insurance. The amount of insurance you need is based on several factors; age is only one of them. Additionally, we often purchase some form of insurance and then forget about it, thinking we’ve attained what we need. As life circumstances change, your need for insurance may change, too.

Insurance can be a safeguard for your personal income, your standard of living, and your legacy. Surely this type of protec-tion is important enough to warrant closer examination – whether you are 35, 55, 65, or older.

myth #3: i can’t afford professional advice. It’s true that many people have seen their assets decrease; some may even be suffering from other economic distress. The short-term cost of professional advice, however, may be minimal compared with the long-term cost of not attaining the assistance you need to take action and stay on track. Consider the cost of your sanity – and the idea that you could gain some peace of mind by tackling these issues. Is it greater than the cost of advice?

It’s reasonable to assume that people who already had financial plans in place before the markets started to fall are feel-ing more comfortable during these tough times because they know that they’ve taken action. You can feel that same way. The choice is yours.

At a minimum, you may want to check out the following websites:

• www.finance.cch.com

• www.mint.com – budgeting information

• www.dinkytown.com – financial calculators

• www.bankrate.com – bank lending rates

• www.annualcreditreport.com – credit reporting information

• www.AARP.com – consumer information

There is a wealth of professional guidance available to you, and you can counter the challenges ahead with solid planning and positive, proactive action. ❙

John M. Bernards,�CFP®�is�a�CERTIFIED�FINANCIAL�

PLANNER™�practicing�at�205�S.�Alfred�Street,�Alexandria�

VA�22314.�He�offers�securities�and�advisory�services�as�

an�investment�adviser�representative�of�Commonwealth�

Financial�Network®,�a�member�firm�of�FINRA/SIPC�and�

a�Registered�Investment�Adviser.�He�can�be�reached�at�

703-549-5488�or�at�[email protected].�©�2009�

Commonwealth�Financial�Network®

Being Proactive in Challenging Financial TimesPresentedbyJohnM.Bernards,TheHarveyGroup

M embers of the 2009 North-west Mountain Region FAA Mentor Program sincerely

thank the FAA Managers Association (FAAMA) for supplying the funds which made possible a memorable gradua-tion celebration for 21 Mentor Program graduates. FAAMA support was particu-larly valuable this year. Although the FAA planned to adopt the successful Mentor Program, the continued resolu-tion the agency was under at the begin-ning of FY09 prevented the Program from receiving FAA funding.

To gain support for the 2009 program, volunteers managing the Mentor Program appeared before the ANM Regional Management Team and the Western Service Area Council. At the time, 23 applicants were seeking Mentors and 17 volunteer Mentors were signed up for the Program. Since we did not want to turn anyone away, we also asked the two groups to recommend employees with the necessary skills. An FAA Mentor should be able to:

• Communicate,• Motivate,• Inspire,• Support, and• Listen well.

They responded positively and we were able to find a Mentor for each appli-cant. In addition, we secured key speak-ers and instructors who truly believed in the Program and were willing to work hard to help it succeed.

On July 30th, we held a festive gradu-ation ceremony celebrating 21 graduates. In attendance were the 21 graduates as well as the Mentors, immediate supervisors, speakers, instructors, and the new Assistant Regional Administrator. At the function, we reviewed the requirements for graduation, the learning events offered, and shared the successes of a few of the graduates.

We not only provided certificates to the graduates, but also acknowledged the time, commitment, and support of the Mentors. In addition, we recognized the speakers and instructors for volunteering their time and acknowledged the Regional Administrator’s office for supporting the Mentor Program.

Again, thank you, FAAMA, for believ-ing in the Mentor Program and sup-porting it year after year. Your help and thoughtfulness is graciously appreciated and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the years to come. Also, thank you to the individual FAAMA Managers who allowed their employees to participate in the Mentor Program. They make all the difference! We greatly appreciate the encouragement of mentor-ing in the Northwest Mountain Region by the Association and by FAAMA members. ❙

FAA Mentor Program 2009: ASuccessStoryfromtheFAANorthwestMountainRegion

ByBobbieL.Kahklen,AirTrafficSafetyInspector,FAA,and2009NorthwestMountainRegionMentorProgramTeamMember

Twenty-onegraduatesofthe2009NorthwestMountainRegionFAAMentorProgramcelebratethesuccessfulconclusionoftheprogram.

REGISTER online or check the latest 2009 Convention details at www.faama.org.

RESERVE a room at the South Point Hotel Casino at www.southpointcasino.com.

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uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu October 18-22, 2009 | South Point Hotel Casino, Las Vegas

29th Annual FAA Managers Associationgathering of eagles | convention and training conference

Join FAAMA Today!Who is eligible to join? Membership is open to: (1) individuals who occupy federal supervisory, managerial or non-bargaining unit staff positions, and (2) federal non-supervisory, non-managerial, or bargaining unit eligible personnel who profess interest in the purpose and goals of the Association.

What are the dues?Association dues are assessed at 0.45 percent of the member’s base pay rate per pay period. Twenty-five percent of these dues are returned to members’ individual chapters as quarterly rebates.

To join, complete both the (1) FAAMA Member Registration Form below and the (2) Standard Form 1187 (download a PDF at www.faama.org/join) – then fax, scan or mail to:FAA Managers Association, Inc.2957 Heirloom LaneGreenwood, IN 46143-6668Secure Fax: (720) 920-1552Email: [email protected]

FAAMA Member Registration Form (please complete):

first name

last name

company

address line 1

address line 2

city, state/province, zip

country

home phone

business phone

cell phone

persoanl email address (please�do�not�use�@.GOV)

business email address

faama chapter number (if�known)

faa facility

faa position

N E w m E m b E R p R O F I L E

Bobbie KahklenMynameisBobbieKahklenandIamanewmemberofFAAMA.Currently,IworkfortheAirTrafficSafetyOffice(AOV)inRenton,WA,andhavebeenwiththeFAAforover17years.

Tome,FAAMAwasalwaysacuriousandmysteriousgroupofpeoplewhomIneverhadtheprivilegeofbeingbeapartofbecauseIwasnotasupervisorormanager–orsoIthought.ThroughoutthefacilitieswhereIworked,IheardtheAssociation’snamebeingspokenandevenwhisperedandboastedabout.

IwonderedwhetherIwouldeverhavetheopportunitytobe-comepartofthe“privilegedfew”whowerepartofFAAMA.MycurrentmanagerletmeknowthatIwaseligibletojoinnow.Infact,hesaidthatanyonewhoisnotinabargainingunitpositioniseligibleformembership!OnceIlearnedthis,Iimmediatelysignedup.

BecauseIhavebeenamemberoftheProfessionalWomenControllersorganizationformanyyears,Iunderstandtheimportanceandbenefitsofbelongingtoanemployeeasso-ciation.Associationmembershipallowsyoutodothingsandtomeetpeopleyoumightnothavemetotherwise.

AsanFAAMAmember,Iplantousemymembershiptonetwork,totakeadvantageoftrainingopportunities,and,mostimportantly,tousecurrentAssociationmembersasrolemodels.IplantowatchwhattheydoandhowtheydoitsothatIcanapplythetraitsthatmakethemsuccessfultoadvancingmyowncareer.

FAAMAisagreatsupporterofmanyprogramsandhasastrongvoicethattheFAAroutinelylistenstobecausetheyvaluetheinputofFAAMAleaders.Ifindthatintriguingandwanttobeapartofit.Asmyjobhasprogressedintoaca-reer,IhavecometoseethatItrulyloveworkingfortheFAA,andwanttodoallIcantogivebacktotheFAA.

Frequently,IvolunteertospeakathighschoolsandcareerfairstopromotetheFAAasawonderfulemployerthatoffersemployeesvirtuallyendlessopportunities.IamconfidentthatIcanhelpinthisfashionasamemberofFAAMAaswell.

Lastly,IalsojoinedtheAssociationbecauseFAAMAhasbeenaconsistentsupporteroftheNorthwestMountainRegion’sMentorProgram.Ihavebeeninvolvedinthispro-gramforseveralyearsandtrulyappreciatethesupportandencouragementofFAAMA.

Thementorprogramiscriticaltothecontinuedsuccessofthisagency,becausetheleadersofthefuturearebeingmentoredintheprogram.ThankyouFAAMAforthatsup-portandforallowingmetobeapartofyourorganization.IlookforwardtomanyopportunitiesandwillbeaneagerAssociationvolunteerinthefuture.

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