-Staffing. Well, as we already know, we're short. Once again, right after we lost a non-member CPC to extended S/L, I asked Barbara to return LG from his Article 17 duties to the floor. Her reply was that she'd talk it over with the Hawrysco. Wow, that gives me great hope. Geez, the FAA is spending enough money to contract with WCG for training and they need one of our CPC's in order to put out a quality developmental to the floor. Talk about your Fraud, Waste and Abuse.
-Elections. A vote is currently in progress to select 2 Alternate Delegates to the NATCA Convention in Miami in September. One, or both, of these 2 Alternates will, if necessary, act on behalf of Chris and/or David should they be unable to attend any of the sessions and will have full constitutional authority to vote on matters as required. There are 4 candidates, 3 of whom are from MTV. They are...Andy Acres, Randy Buxton, myself and Rocky Thurman (CHP). Voting ends April 25 and the ballots are in your mailboxes.
-E Board. Minutes of the most recent meeting of the E-Board are posted on the local PCT website.
-Airspace Work Group. Mr. Hughes, aka Back Office Jackie, advised our duly appointed reps (Bennie & Paul) that they were not empowered to do any thing except forward recommendations. This is incorrect and should be corrected prior to their next meeting.
-Stupidvisor Decisions. They're still making bad, late, indifferent, excessive or just plain dumb decisions. For example, several times in recent weeks they've been combining positions when they should remain split and controllers are taking the gas. Don't hesitate to invoke Article 65 if you feel it's a poor decision then let me know. This, of course, relates to the staffing crisis.
-OT. We're still getting tons of it, people are getting tired of it, and just around the corner is summer Prime Time. If you're tired of it, my suggestion is to submit to the agency, through your Stupe, a letter requesting that you be removed from consideration for scheduled and/or call-in OT. Granted, we'll still be getting it, but at least you can put the agency on notice that you're getting burned out by it. I submitted mine nearly a year ago and haven't been scheduled in months, although I still get the occasional phone call...I love caller ID.
-Grievance Update. The grievance I filed for "back-to-back" quick turns was, and I'm not surprised, denied. However, denied or not, it appears that we got an end to this practice. Please let me know if you see it happen to you...remember, if you swapped into it, then it isn't on them. This was, btw, elevated. The less than 8 hours between shifts is still pending as is the most recent one where the agency made a false accusation against me.
-ATSAP MOU. Information concerning this program is posted on the local PCT website. While I'm not in favor of entering into agreements with an agency who routinely fails to bargain in good faith and shoved illegal work rules down our throats, please read the information and form your own opinion. It has the potential to be a decent agreement should the agency abide by it, but of that, I have little faith.
-Congrats. Two future controllers entered the world recently. Congratulations go out to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Phillips and Mr. and Mrs. John Gilbert and the birth of their first children.
Well, that's all for now. Take care and stay safe.
Steve
Well, that's all for now. Take care and stay safe.
Steve
540-635-1991 (h)
816-729-8564 (c)
800-266-0895 x20051
MTV Area Update for January 14, 2008
-Luray/278R. Well, the new ELDEE2 has been up and running for a few weeks now and...here's a surprise...it sucks. Confusing fixes (PUGEE/POOCH), confusing crossing restrictions, difficult transitions, lousy traffic flows, pilot complaints...it's just plain difficult to fly with a tailwind (gee, thank goodness there's never a westerly wind around here). For ADW arrivals, it just ends at ELDEE...not to mention that the WZRRD arrival ends at WZRRD. Go figure. What 6th grader did the faa hire to design this? Despite the failure of the faa to provide adequate training/information/familiarization, or to get our input, you've all done a fantastic job of handling this mess, proving once again that we are the professionals, not the faa. Nonetheless, don't get complacent or overconfident, and most of all, don't be a hero trying to overcompensate for the agency's shortcomings. BTW, there will be an agency review of the 278R in the upcoming weeks. I will be representing the area, no one else. If I can get a controller or two off the boards for the review, I'll take them with me. Please bring me your input for this review asap.
-VM1. Recently we've begun to notice that [insert agency of your choosing here] are not providing us with the routing that White House Jackie will be taking. This has caused some issues with the final (north ops) when a certain helicopter went directly to the Wilson Bridge @1500' and conflicted with 2 arrivals. Had we been made aware of the routing, arrivals would have been held. I wonder if any of them will get a PIP? Barbara is aware and, hopefully, will correct it. Next time, perhaps, a NASA report.
-SOP Changes. As we all know, the faa recently screwed up yet again with massive mistakes in the new SOP. The majority of the mistakes were discovered by controllers and have since been corrected. One piece of caution...yes, Fluky, you do have control for left turns on contact with the TERPZ departure, but you still have to see what KRANTs traffic is as you might be turning into KRANT airspace. I've already seen one of our younger controllers turn off the the TERPZ below 9000' right in front of a KRANT level at 10000'. Be careful.
-Runway Changes/Opposite Directions. Once again, these are being handled by the stupes in a less than competent manner. Remember, during one of these fiasco's, the safest thing you can do is just stay in your airspace to the extent possible and if you don't generally quick look, do it during the change over. Also, don't be surprised if you end up excessively delaying 10-12 arrivals so the tower can get out one solitary opposite direction departure. Safe, orderly and expeditious...with most of our stupes, right.
-Latest Faa BS Offer. The agency is starting to show signs of cracking under their own stupidity. They've recently made an "offer" of a settlement to all of the grievances, ULPs, lawsuits, etc that they are facing. Essentially, all they did was make a futile attempt to throw money at NATCA to make the problem go away. Remember, it was never an offer to return to the table and bargain in good faith, never an offer to rescind the IWRs, never an offer to reinstate our frozen pay or pay the new folks what they should be paid. It was nothing more than an inept (just like them) and desperate attempt to make something go away. It's been, rightly, turned down. But, it's a positive sign that they're sinking fast under the weight of their incompetent and failed plan to try and break this great Union. Solidarity!
-Approach Plates. The agency requires that these be updated every 56 days. Now, while the agency might very well be placing the newly updated plates somewhere in the Areas, they're failing miserably at updating them where they truly need to be updated...the IDS, which where you need them so you can have near instant access to them when needed. In light of the recent accident involving the SHD Area, please check the IDS periodically and scream bloody murder to your Stupe if they're not updated. Then, let me know and I'll file UCR/NASA reports.
-Staffing. It's still terrible, despite agency rhetoric, and it will get worse before it gets better. Heck, we just lost one of the CTIs to a resignation. We will be getting 4 new developmentals around the end of the month. Please make Jon, Natalie (no, not Air Show Jackie), Paul and Matt feel welcome.
Well, that's all for now. Take care and stay safe.
Steve
540-635-1991 (h)
816-729-8564 (c)
800-266-0895 x20051
Mount Vernon Area 2007 Archive
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