Progress Between FAA, NATCA? You're Kidding!

Federal Aviation Administration acting chief Robert Sturgell, who's still awaiting Congressional confirmation to take over the post under a five-year contract, has asked for a second meeting with Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The two are expected to meet Thursday.

Forrey asked for a meeting with Sturgell in a December 10, 2007 letter, regarding the findings of a study by the Government Accountability Office on runway incursions. The two met for the first time December 21.

Following the first meeting, Forrey said he disagreed with the FAA's assertion that better technology is the answer to its problems... and, worried the FAA was shifting its goals to show better performance results.

"The FAA continues to claim that critical technology needed to prevent mishaps and handle congestion is fielded on time and within budget, yet this flies in the face of data released by the Department of Transportation inspector general and GAO," Forrey said, according to Government Executive. "It's clear from congressional testimony that representatives from both political parties believe that re-baselining several major programs contributes to a false sense of security that [the] system safety was in check."

Despite the disagreement, however, both men agreed to meet a second time after the New Year... a far cry from earlier relations between the agency and its controllers. Besides an ongoing contract dispute, Sturgell's former boss, Marion Blakey, also ended a program that allowed union representatives to meet with agency officials on technical projects. The fact Sturgell agreed to meet with Forrey a second time shows at least some warming in the icy relationship between the two sides.

Government Executive calls the meeting, intended to address differences in strategies for improving aviation efficiency and safety, a sign the relationship between the union and the FAA could be improving.

Not everything is rainbows and butterflies just yet... but maybe, just maybe, a new day is dawning. Stay tuned.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.natca.org