NATCA Responds To FAA's Hiring Numbers

Late on Friday, the FAA issued a press release, announcing it had met or exceeded its goals for hiring new air traffic controllers for fiscal year 2007. On Monday, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association held a press teleconference to accuse the FAA of spinning the numbers.

Among the union's major points was that to make its hiring quota, which itself proved to be a moving target during the year, the FAA dramatically lowered the minimum qualifications.

Participants include NATCA President Patrick Forrey, former Chicago TRACON controller Ray Gibbons, who retired at age 49 last week after a 25-year career, and Long Beach Tower controller and assistant NATCA facility representative Jason Cristaldi, who has been a controller for four years.

This press teleconference originally ran over 45 minutes in length. Because many of the questions from reporters for non-aviation media dealt with topics already covered extensively by Aero News, we've edited for length.

This feature is in addition to our daily news briefing -- available in either a quick "Touch And Go" format, or an expanded Aero-Briefing -- where you'll hear these stories:

Everybody's happy with the nominee for FAA Administrator...

NASA gets Discovery launched on time...

And ANN gets an insider's report on the Columbia bankruptcy hearing

...And more

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 10.24.07 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program)

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 10.24.07 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program)

ANN Special Feature -- NATCA Responds To The FAA's Hiring Numbers: 10.24.07 (ANN Special Feature, with audio from Monday's teleconference with NATCA officials regarding FAA's announcement of FY2007 hiring numbers.)

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