SecTrans Norman Mineta has disclosed initial details of the FAA's new Air Traffic Organization (ATO) business structure. The ATO will consolidate the FAA’s air traffic services, research and acquisitions, and Free Flight Program activities into a leaner, more efficient organization with a strict focus on providing the best service for the best value to the aviation industry and the traveling public.

“Today is the first phase of creating a true, performance-based air traffic organization,” said Secretary Mineta. “The ATO will be a global leader in responding to customer needs and in delivering the safest, most secure air traffic services.”

The ATO will consist of five major service units: En Route & Oceanic; Terminal; Flight Services; System Operations; and, Technical Operations. Also included within the organization’s top level are five staff-level business groups: Safety; Communications; Operations Planning; Finance and Acquisition; and, Business Services.

“The ATO will bring about lasting change in how we manage our air traffic services, systems and resources,” said FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey. “We are building the ATO to align with the FAA’s overall strategic performance objectives in aviation safety, capacity, international leadership, and organizational excellence.”

Within the early stages of its development, ATO activities will focus primarily on assessing current air traffic service activities and programs to identify opportunities for improved performance and cost effective operation. This “value analysis” will help the ATO form the basis of cost accounting, financial and performance baselines, and set performance targets for safety, service, cost, and productivity.

“Our mission throughout each level of the ATO is clear—to provide the highest value and quality air traffic services that our customers -- the aviation community -- should rightly expect,” said FAA’s Chief Operating Officer Russell Chew. “With Secretary Mineta’s vision and support, Administrator Blakey and I are putting together an organization that delivers on this mission by putting a premium on our employees and accountability for our performance.”

The establishment of the ATO was first recommended by the 1997 National Civil Aviation Review Commission (NCARC) that was chaired by Mineta. In April 2000, Congress enacted The Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21) that established the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the air traffic control system. Executive Order 13180 (as amended June 4, 2002) created the Air Traffic Organization and designated the Chief Operating Officer (COO) as its head.

In June 2003, Mineta and Blakey announced the selection of Chew to serve as the FAA’s first COO. Chew brings to the FAA nearly two decades of broad aviation industry experience at American Airlines, where he served as a line-qualified captain, managing director of the airlines strategic operations planning, and manager of technical flight operations and system support technologies.

FMI: www.faa.gov