FAA History Lesson -- September 30

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Sep 30, 1983: During the fiscal year that ended on this date, key equipment was installed for the National Airspace Data Exchange Network (NADIN), a new interfacility communication system being established under a contract awarded in 1980. Under the NADIN system, messages originating at an air traffic control facility would go to the nearest of some 20 regional concentrators (computerized communication equipment sites). The message would then go to one of two major switching centers, located at Atlanta and Salt Lake City. These switches would disseminate the data, bypassing failed or saturated areas when required. Each switch would handle messages for half the country, but would possess the ability to manage the entire system if necessary. During FY 1982, the first of the switches was installed at Salt Lake City, and the first of the concentrators was installed at the FAA Technical Center. The Atlanta switch and the remaining 20 concentrators were installed in FY 1983, moving NADIN closer to commissioning. (See May 5, 1989.) ”

” May 5, 1989: FAA’s National Data Interchange Network 1A (NADIN 1A) became fully operational, supplanting several independent communications networks with a single, efficient means of transmitting weather and flight plan data. The agency had originally contracted for the system in Nov 1980. On Mar 31, 1995, FAA commissioned an upgraded version designated NADIN II. “

It’s late so you’ll have to do your own analysis. “Fiscal year”, “manage the entire system if necessary”, look at the dates, etc., etc. Yes, this is the same system that broke and caused the widespread delays earlier this year.

Don Brown
September 30, 2007

Using Judgment

This post will require you to use your powers of judgment carefully. The points I’d like to make are subtle but, I believe, important.

The Chicago Sun-Times ran a story today (September 30, 2007) about a mid-air collision that occurred 7 years ago.

Judge clears Collins in deadly air crash

I’d be the last to supplant the NTSB’s judgment with that of a judge, in assigning the cause of an aviation accident. However, there are a couple of things worth noting in that article.

”Because of federal immunity from lawsuits, though, the most Collins' widow, Christine, and the other victims' families can share is the $1 million insurance policy of Midwest Air Traffic Control Services, said Christine Collins' attorney Bob Clifford. “

Midwest Air Traffic Control Services runs the privatized Air Traffic Control Tower at Waukegan, Illinois (UGN.) According to the NTSB, “UGN handles approximately 100,000 aircraft operations per year. Although operations are predominantly general aviation, they also range from flight training, generated both locally and from other airports, to high-performance corporate jet operations. The U.S. Government contracts with Midwest to run the Tower." I first heard that operators in the Federal Contract Tower program were only required to carry a $ 1 million dollar insurance policy years and years ago. The guy telling me about it couldn’t believe it and neither could I. Even the cheapest of the “ high-performance corporate jets” cost more than a million dollars. This accident took three lives. I won’t comment on how much a life is worth.

”The air traffic controller -- who had gone seven hours without a break, in violation of FAA rules -- ... “

In that this accident occurred at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, that makes it obvious the controller had worked all day without a break. I didn’t see this fact mentioned in the NTSB report on the accident, which I find very curious. I did find a couple of other facts in the NTSB report though.

” The LC (Local Controller) has served as the tower manager since October 1993. “

”UGN ATCT operates from 0600 to 2000 local time, year round. Four controllers and a tower manager, who works on an operational schedule similar to the controllers, staff the tower. The contractor also provides "rovers," who are controllers certified at more than one facility that can fill in as needed.“

It doesn’t take long to figure out that staffing is minimal, at best.

There’s another set of facts you might want to know. Also from the NTSB report:

”UGN ATCT was established in 1989 as a Level 1 tower. The FAA funded the initial construction and equipment. In 1994, under the Federal Contract Tower Program, a private contractor, Midwest Air Traffic Control Services, was awarded the bid to operate the tower and provide controller and supervisory staffing. The FAA retains ownership of the facilities and equipment and conducts controller certification.“

It sounds much the same as the Fulton Country ATC Tower in Atlanta, GA. The FAA built a new Tower for the Olympics (the previous Tower was around 40 years old) and then promptly contracted it out as soon as the Olympics left town.

I worked with a different Contract Tower when I was a controller. I even went to visit that Tower a couple of times. Decent people, working alone, doing the best they could with what they had. There was one incident that did stick with me though. There had been a possible error and the tape recordings of the Tower (all ATC transmissions are recorded) weren’t available. The recorder had malfunctioned. The recorder was fixed, and lo and behold, there was another incident very shortly thereafter (I think it was the same day.). The tape recorder malfunctioned on that incident too.

It’s taken as a given among controllers that if a contract controller reports an operational error, he’ll get fired. It’s hard to prove that without evidence. If an FAA controller doesn’t report an error, we know the FAA will take disciplinary action. I know a supervisor that got a three day suspension for failing to report an error. Many proponents of contracting like to point to an Inspector General report that said contract Towers are as safe -- if not safer -- than FAA Towers. Take it for what it’s worth. Use your judgment. One guy might get fired if he reports an error. The other guy might get fired if he doesn’t report an error. What do you think the safety statistics would show ?

Minimal staffing, minimal insurance, minimal accountability. You get what you pay for. You might want to consider that if you live under an area where airplanes fly. And in that the FAA has contracted out the Flight Services Stations, it isn’t just areas around contract Towers, it’s everywhere.

”Collins' plane crashed onto the roof of Midwestern Medical Center in Zion, injuring people there and killing him and his passenger, Herman Luscher. Student pilot Sharon Hock's plane crashed into the street, killing her. “

It could be worse. You could live in Iraq and have to deal with our contractors over there.

Don Brown
September 30, 2007

Privatization Fetish

Just in case you missed it, Paul Krugman hit another one out of the park. Man ! I wish I could write like this:

”Thus, the administration has abandoned the principle of a professional, nonpolitical civil service, stuffing agencies from FEMA to the Justice Department with unqualified cronies. “

Let’s not forget the FAA. I’m lucky if I can come up with one memorable point per day. Krugman gets a half dozen per column.

”You might think that national security would take precedence over the fetish for privatization — but remember, President Bush tried to keep airport security in private hands, even after 9/11.“

Read the whole thing.

Don Brown
September 28, 2007

A Job Well Done

Listen up all you grumpy aviation guys. You know, the ones that say the media never gets it right. Well the folks at WREG TV in Memphis did.

Here’s the print version of the story and be sure to watch the video version (click on the little red camera on the left side of their web page.)

Once you’ve done that -- and if you agree they did an excellent job -- take the time to let them know about it. Here’s all the e-mail contact information.

If you’re like me and you’ve fired off a e-mail or two at some hapless reporter that couldn’t understand what it took us years to understand...

Take the time to fire off an e-mail letting them know it was a job well done.

Don Brown
September 28, 2007

Brace for Impact

This can’t be good.

” President Bush has summoned his secretary of transportation and the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration to a meeting on Thursday to discuss air traffic delays in New York and around the country. “

There’s a lesson I learned when working for the FAA. When the FAA takes the action that you’ve been recommending...

”The F.A.A. will also meet with airline executives to consider options, including the possibility of reimposing slot controls... “

...they’ll mess it up. Every time.

I know, I know. You just can’t make some folks happy. The Administration is looking at what I’m been saying to look at and I’m still not happy. Well, it’s not quite that simple.

Later on in the New York Times article quoted above you’ll see this.

”... among the ideas under consideration is congestion pricing, in which airlines would be charged more for landing at busy periods. “

And you will continue to see that in every news piece that checks with the Administration for information (which will be all of them.)

As I’ve stated before, I’m somewhat ambivalent about a market-based approach. What I’m looking for is what works. Congestion pricing might work. It might not work. Working out a market-based system is going to be a sticky matter. Fighting over who gets to keep the money always is. But let me put it another way. It’s going to take time -- a lot of time -- to work out.

On the other hand, history has taught us what does work (slot restrictions) and we can implement them right now. Or the FAA Administrator can. It’s the law.

United States Code -- Title 14: Aeronautics and Space

93.130   Suspension of allocations.

The Administrator may suspend the effectiveness of any allocation prescribed in §93.123 and the reservation requirements prescribed in §93.125 if he finds such action to be consistent with the efficient use of the airspace. Such suspension may be terminated whenever the Administrator determines that such action is necessary for the efficient use of the airspace.

(emphasis added)

I know that reads “backwards” (they’re lawyers, what do you expect ?) but in short, the “high density rule” can be suspended or enforced, as needed, by the Administrator. The “high density rule” applies to LaGuardia, Newark, Kennedy, O'Hare, and Washington National Airports. And as should be obvious, the “Administrator” (aka the Bush Administration) has chosen not to enforce it and will continue not to enforce it for as long as politically possible.

Please notice I didn’t say for as long as is safely possible or (as the law says) “is necessary for the efficient use of the airspace.” We passed those points some time ago.

Hey ! I know. Let’s privatize it. Don’t let them make you lose the flick folks. Privatization is still the end game -- just as it has been from the start. Brace for impact.

Don Brown
September 28, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 27

A short two-for-one today.

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

” Sep 27, 1956: CAA announced the formation of a team of aviation specialists to provide technical assistance and guidance to Afghanistan in developing a national airways system. Under the sponsorship of the International Cooperation Administration, the modernization program called for loans and expenditures totaling $14,560,000 to expand Afghanistan’s air transportation facilities. ”

” Sep 27, 1987: California became the first state to ban smoking on all intrastate trips by airline, bus, or train. In addition, the bill required that at least 75 percent of the space in airports and public transit centers be set aside for nonsmokers. The bill became effective Jan 1, 1988. (See Apr 23, 1988.) ”

Don Brown
September 27, 2007

Not So Lucky Guess

A funny thing happens when you pay attention. Occasionally, you “guess” right. (Scroll down two blog entries to read my guess or click here.)

”Harris FTI Deficiencies Continue to Risk Safety Around the Country”

“ At fault is the FAA’s failure to address serious deficiencies in Harris Corporation’s Federal Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI), which provides circuitry and communications for the FAA.”

My favorite part of the press release from PASS came later.

”The FAA has spent billions of dollars replacing what they deemed to be antiquated telecommunications systems; ironically, the antiquated systems operated much more successfully and safely than what Harris FTI is providing. “

This is such a “target-rich environment” I hardly know where to start. Seriously, you could spend all day just reading the links I found it ten minutes and you don’t have to take my word for it. Go to Google and type in “+FAA +FTI” (or just click on the link) and you can read all day.

"You're sitting on a program that if it doesn't explode is going to implode in a pretty major way," said one aviation expert with close knowledge of the project who is critical of the Harris contract. "This is to FAA what the Challenger was to NASA. We think there is going to be a significant outage."

But if you’ll type in “+FAA +FTI +Mica” you will see a link from a fellow that writes a blog that we all know and love -- The Main Bang.

Follow The Money, Part One

“Despite the known safety-related problems directly attributed to the FTI program, Congressman John Mica was adamant then that the program should continue.”

Congressman John Mica is the Representative of the Florida 7th Congressional District. He is the ranking Republican on the House Aviation Subcommittee, which means he was the Chairman until the Democrats became the majority party last election. NATCA and ex-Chairman Mica -- as they say -- have history.

Don Brown
September 27, 2007

More Info on ZME Outage

Here’s more information on the outage at Memphis Center yesterday from USA Today.

Don Brown
September 26, 2007

Don’t Snooze News

Some of you may have caught the news yesterday -- the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center (aka Memphis Center -- ZME) declared “ATC Zero”. In short, that means ZME was out of business.

Here’s the AP News story about it.

Planes Grounded Over Equipment Failure

The ever-helpful FAA spokespeople evidently helped the AP News explain (away) the problem.

”The problem started when a major telephone line to the Memphis center went out at 12:35 p.m. EDT. The Federal Aviation Administration said air-traffic control operations were back to normal about three hours later.”

There’s one little tiny problem you might miss in that statement -- the “telephone line” carries the radar data too.

It helps if you know where to look and what to look for. Let me help.

”"We had a catastrophic failure of communications," said Walt Cochran, director of Eastern En Route and Oceanic Operations. ATO Technical Operations Services is investigating why most of the center's radio and radar equipment failed.”

(emphasis added)

Speaking of knowing where to look. If you’re interested in finding out what really happened, keep your eye on the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s (NATCA) and the Professional Airways System Specialist’s (PASS) web sites . The questions that need to be answered are why was there a “catastrophic failure” of three separate, safety-critical systems -- the radios, the telephones and the radars. Please don’t tell me that some contractor put all three of those systems on one telephone line. You also need to ask, “Just exactly what does a controller do when he’s suddenly finds himself (effectively) deaf, dumb and blind.” I already know he’s going to whip out his cellphone that the FAA says he can’t use in the control room. But what does he do ?

There are a whole bunch of questions. When a Center fails, the surrounding facilities (other Centers and Approach Controls) are supposed to take over their airspace. You might want to ask yourself how you’re supposed to do that if controllers can’t talk to each other on the telephone. You might also want to ask yourself how an understaffed facility (like virtually every facility in the FAA) is supposed to take on this huge workload. And seeing as the radar is out too, how does the new controller “see” anything ? Would this be a good time to mention that URET isn’t certified for non radar operations ? Hmmm, and how did that new and improved, contracted out Flight Service respond ?

I could go on (and on) but before I lose you, do you remember this ?

” The FTI program is part of the FAA’s modernization plan, but according to PASS officials, the program is maintained by untrained contractors and has been the source of countless outages, delays and safety problems for American travelers. “

(FTI stands for “Federal Telecommunications Infrastructure”.)

I’m betting you don’t remember it, so let me direct your attention to the whole press release with emphasis on this part;

"There have been conflicting reports on the cause of the outage and the number of delays– the original Significant Event Report (SER) stated that the outage was caused by FTI personnel; however, PASS then received the official National Operational Control Center (NOCC) report that said the outage was caused by a misconfiguration and not personnel.”

I hope the truth doesn’t suffer a “catastrophic failure” too. Here’s a thought: Is there any possibility that the press will investigate this incident with the same vigor that they investigated the ComAir 5191 crash ? You know, find out what went wrong and get it fixed before it happens again and somebody dies ? Just a thought. I know our government is the one that should be investigating all this but I’m pretty sure that ship has already sailed.

Don Brown
September 26, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 26

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Sep 26, 1964: The Bureau of Budget released the first significant amount of hardware-procurement funds for modernizing the National Airspace System (NAS). These funds were specifically designated for installing the first complete NAS En Route Stage A configuration (FAA's semiautomated system for en route air traffic control) at the ARTCC at Jacksonville, Fla. (See Feb 1, 1967.) Modernization of both the en route and terminal air traffic control subsystems of NAS had been recommended in 1961 by the Project Beacon task force (see Sep 11, 1961). The modernization was a long-range program that would require a decade or longer to fully implement.

The air traffic control system targeted for replacement was essentially a manually operated system employing radar, general purpose computers, radio communications, and air traffic controllers. Only five ARTCCs (New York, Boston, Washington, Cleveland, and Indianapolis) had computers capable of processing flight data, calculating flight progress, checking for errors, and distributing flight data to control sectors. The old system had a two-dimensional radar display, which permitted controllers to view only an aircraft's range and bearing. Vital information such as altitude and identity was obtained through voice contact with the pilot or from the flight plan. To retain the correct identity of an aircraft target, controllers were required to tag the targets with plastic markers (known as "shrimp boats") and move the markers by hand across the radar display. The planned semiautomated system would perform these functions automatically, faster, and more accurately than the controller. Properly equipped aircraft would report their altitude, identity, and other flight data automatically at any given time. The computer processed messages would appear on a radar display next to the aircraft they identified, in the form of alphanumeric symbols which would make the radar display three-dimensional in effect. (See Oct 6, 1964, May 24, 1965, and Dec 30, 1968.) ”


”Feb 13, 1973: Ceremonies at the Memphis Air Traffic Control Center celebrated the center’s switch over to computer processing of flight-plan data, completing Phase One of the NAS En Route Stage A, FAA's decade-long program to automate and computerize the nation's en route air traffic control system (see Sep 26, 1964). With the new computer installation at Memphis, all twenty ARTCCs in the contiguous 48 states gained an automatic capability to collect and distribute information about each aircraft's course and altitude to all the sector controllers along its flight path. Pilots still had to file flight plans at flight service stations and military operations offices, but now computers would handle the centers' "bookkeeping functions" of assigning and printing out controller flight strips. The new computers also had the ability to record and distribute any changes registered in aircraft flight plans en route. The system eventually tied in with the Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS III) units then being installed at major airports (see Oct 4, 1971 and Feb 15, 1973). Phase Two of the en route automation program was still under way; it would provide controllers at the twenty centers with new radar displays that would show such vital flight information as altitude and speed directly on the screen. (See Feb 18, 1970 and Jun 14, 1973.)”

”Aug 26, 1975: The commissioning of the computerized radar data processing system (RDP) at the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center marked the end of the final phase of the completion of NAS En Route Stage A, FAA's program of automating and computerizing the nation's en route air traffic control system, an effort covering more than a decade (see Feb 13, 1973). Miami was the last of the 20 ARTCCs to receive RDP capability. The RDP system consisted of three key elements: radar digitizers located at long-range radar sites that converted raw radar data and aircraft transponder beacon signals into computer-readable signals transmitted to the centers' computers; computer complexes in each center able to relay this information to the controllers' screens; and new screens that displayed the information to the controllers in alphanumeric characters.”

Would anyone like to bet how long it will take NextGen (which hasn’t even been designed yet) to be completed ?

Don Brown
September 26, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 25

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Sep 25, 1978: A midair collision over San Diego between a Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727 and a Cessna 172 caused more fatalities than any previous civil aviation accident within U.S. airspace. All 137 persons aboard the two aircraft and seven on the ground were killed. Both aircraft were transponder equipped and were operating in clear weather under local air traffic control when they collided at 2,600 feet. Both pilots had been warned of the presence of the other aircraft. The PSA pilot, which was overtaking the smaller plane, had received clearance for visual, "see-and-avoid" separation procedures after reporting to controllers that he had the Cessna in sight.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the accident’s probable cause was the PSA crew’s failure to comply with the provisions of a maintain-visual-separation clearance, including the requirement to inform the controller if they no longer had the other aircraft in sight. The Board cited as a contributing factor the procedures that allowed controllers to authorize visual separation procedures when the capability to provide radar separation was available.

NTSB member Francis H. McAdams dissented, citing the use of visual air traffic control (ATC) procedures as part of the probable cause rather than merely contributory. He also listed a number of contributing factors, mostly inadequacies of the ATC system. Among these were failure to resolve an automated conflict-alert alarm that the approach controller had disregarded on the assumption that the pilots were maintaining visual separation. (NTBS later adopted McAdams’ viewpoint in an Aug 1982 amendment that included both ATC and pilot failings in the probable cause finding.)

The San Diego accident followed another midair collision that had occured on May 10, 1978, between a Falcon Jet and a Cessna 150 over Memphis, Tenn., with the loss of six lives. The NTSB’s finding of probable cause in that case cited the failure of controllers to maintain proper separation as well as the pilots' failure to see and avoid each other. The two accidents set off intense criticism of FAA’s ATC program and the pace of its plans to develop an airborne collision-avoidance system. (See Dec 27, 1978.) ”

There was a very famous photograph of this accident and I could swear it made the cover of Time magazine. I couldn’t find the cover but I did find the Time article on the story while I was searching.

Don Brown
September 25, 2007

Free Lunch

How many times have you heard the expression, “There is no such thing as a free lunch” ? Something that hit me about it the other day...

Why is it, that the guys saying “There is no such thing as a free lunch” always seem to be the guys that own the companies that bought the advertising that tries to convince you that there is indeed a “free lunch” ? Buy One Get One FREE !

You know...the guys that sit around the fancy restaurants, pretending they’re working, when all they’re really doing is padding the expense account -- with a free lunch.

Don Brown
September 25, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 24

There are a couple of very interesting subjects on this date in history. I decided to go with the part about Frank Lorenzo. If you don’t know who he is, you might want to look him up and get some background on him. I think it safe to say, at least as far as aviation workers, he’s one of the most hated figures in aviation history.

We must first start in 1981 while remembering two significant events. The Airline Deregulation Act became law in 1978. The PATCO strike happened on Aug. 3, 1981.

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Aug 6, 1981: The Civil Aeronautics Board approved acquisition of Continental Airlines by Texas International, a subsidiary of Frank Lorenzo's holding company, Texas Air. The transaction was consumated in Oct 1981. A year later, Lorenzo merged Texas International's operations into those of the much larger Continental. (See Sep 24, 1983) ”

Three days after the PATCO strike, Lorenzo gets Continental. The deal is approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board, which was busy going out of existence. The CAB ceased to exist on Jan. 1, 1985. That’s the background for today’s lesson.

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

“Sep 24, 1983: Continental Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 and suspended flights. Frank Lorenzo (chairman of the airline and its parent company, Texas Air) announced on Sep 26 that a "new Continental" was resuming operations, on a discount-fare basis, to about a third of the cities formerly served. He offered to rehire 4,200 of the firm's 12,000 employees at salaries below those paid under their union contracts. Continental's pilots and flight attendants began a strike on Oct 1, but failed to shut down the airline. By the end of 1983, the company employed approximately 700 pilots and 800 flight attendants. (See Feb 6, 1984.)“

Two years and two months after buying it, Frank Lorenzo took Continental into bankruptcy. It might make you wonder about his business skills. But there was another agenda at work here. You must remember, the FAA had just broken its union (PATCO.) Businesses had been given the “green light” to break theirs. As the above says, “(See Feb 6, 1984.)”

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

“Feb 6, 1984: FAA conducted an intensive inspection of Continental Airlines, lasting through Mar 9. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) was on strike against Continental (see Sep 24, 1983), and accused it of unsafe practices. The FAA report cited discrepancies but concluded that overall safety was adequate. (Two members of the inspection team later charged that higher officials had altered their report to make it more favorable to the airline; however, an FBI investigation found no basis to prosecute for impropriety.) In Jun 1984 congressional hearings, ALPA charged that FAA was covering up safety violations by Continental, while FAA testified that the airline was safe. (See Mar 18, 1985.) “

I could “see Mar 18, 1985” but let’s cut to the chase. Let’s go to Nov 15, 1987

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

“Nov 15, 1987: A Continental Airlines DC-9 crashed on takeoff at Denver Stapleton airport, killing 28 of the 82 persons on board. The National Transportation Safety Board cited the probable cause of the crash as the captain's failure to have the airplane deiced a second time after a delay before takeoff. Contributing factors listed by the Board included the absence of regulatory or management controls governing operations by newly qualified flightcrew members and the confusion that existed between the flightcrew and air traffic controllers that led to the delay in departure. (See Dec 12, 1985 and Mar 22, 1992.)“

I know you thought you were done but not yet. Remember that real life is complicated. Historians try to cover complicated periods and events to get down the crux of things. But sometimes, the brush is just too broad. For instance, did you really catch the significance of “Contributing factors listed by the Board included the absence of regulatory or management controls governing operations by newly qualified flightcrew members... ?

Regulatory -- FAA, Airline Deregulation
Management -- Frank Lorenzo

The “absence” of those led to the “captain’s failure.” Read this from the NTSB’s report concerning the accident. Sorry for the ALL CAPITALS and the abbreviations. That’s the way the NTSB writes the report. “CAPT” is Captain of the aircraft. “F/O” is the First Officer (or copilot.) “PLT” is pilot.

“THE CAPT HAD 33 HRS EXPERIENCE AS A DC-9 CAPT. THE F/O HAD 36 HRS JET EXPERIENCE, ALL IN THE DC-9. F/O DEMONSTRATED WEAK SCAN IN TRNG AND HAD PLT PERFORMANCE PROBS WITH PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS. F/O WAS ON RESERVE, AND HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 24 DAYS.”

The Carter Administration deregulated the airline industry. The Reagan Administration declared war on unions. The FAA, which had busted its own union, overruled the concerns of Continental’s pilot union (ALPA) and said “safety was adequate.” Two members of the FAA’s own inspection team make charges serious enough to bring about an FBI investigation. When additional charges of an FAA coverup were made, the FAA still told Congress that Continental was “safe.”

Three years later a Continental DC-9 is upside down in the snow and 28 people are dead. I can’t help but wonder how happy people were with their “cheap” ticket.

The consequences of our actions aren’t always immediately visible. In an endeavor as safe as modern aviation, it can take years to see how a policy plays out. History is being played out -- right now -- in front of your very eyes. The consequences may take years to notice. Or maybe not. But there will be consequences. History is the only guide as to what they may be.

Don Brown
September 24, 2007

Bush Does it Again

Saying “we told you so” is getting real old. Even if it’s true and needs to be said.

Analysts at the Government Accountability Office have voted to join a union, a first at the 86-year-old agency.

It seems as if the harder the Republicans try to kill off unions the more people decide they need a union. Maybe one day they’ll just leave well enough alone.

Nah, I don’t really think they will either.

”The GAO is an agency of Congress that audits federal programs and ferrets out waste, fraud and mismanagement in the executive branch. It is widely regarded as a prestigious place to work in Washington and was ranked No. 2 in a "best places to work" index this year. “

If you can imagine how bad your employer must be treating you to form a union at the “No. 2 best place to work” in government you can just imagine how horrible things are at the FAA, which was tied for last place.

It ain’t just us. Read the article. Everybody in government is looking for a union to protect themselves from this Administration. What’s that ? You say you wish you could form a union to protect you and your fellow workers ? That’s right. It is harder in the private sector. It can get you fired (despite what the law says.) Gee...I wonder who made it that way ?

Here’s a history lesson of a different kind. The Taft-Hartley Act. That would be Senator Robert Taft (Republican - Ohio) and Representative Fred Hartley (Republican - New Jersey).

Browse through those links and see what looks familiar.

Don Brown
September 22, 2007

Sleepy, Grumpy and Dopey

I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night. Former President Bill Clinton was his guest, doing the usual book promotion. President Clinton took the opportunity to express his belief that many members of Congress are sleep deprived.

I thought that an odd subject for an ex-President to talk about. As you can imagine, controllers know a little about sleep deprivation. Everybody knows about the crazy shifts that controllers work, now, thanks to ComAir 5191 crashing at Lexington, KY. The gist of the conversation was, Congressmen -- especially from the west side of the country -- have to commute back and forth from their homes to Washington D.C. One of the reasons they have to go back and forth so much is to raise money for their next election campaign. President Clinton commented about how that makes them edgy. Grumpy (if you will) from lack of sleep. He also made a few other comments about how their lifestyles have changed -- and how that has changed the relationships Congressmen have with each other. Fair enough. But I wanted to go on my own tangent.

Let’s think about our Congressional Representatives for a moment. In order to keep it from getting too abstract, let’s look at it from a personal level. I want you to pick someone you know -- someone you think would be a good Congressman (or Congresswoman.) Speaking of which, do you know one ? I mean personally -- like he’s your friend. Why not ? Keep that question in mind and I’ll try to keep on track.

What would you look for in a potential Congressman ? Intelligence would obviously be on the list. Hopefully, honesty and integrity would be too. That’s all well and good but again -- still a little abstract. Would you limit yourself to lawyers ? After all, a Congressman helps write laws so its kind of a natural fit. Do you know any lawyers ? Out of all the lawyers you know, can you pick one that has the qualities you are looking for ? Do you want to limit yourself to just lawyers ? It’s not a disqualification but I don’t think we want to make it a qualification.

Honest, integrity, intelligence. What else ? I’d want at least a certain amount of leadership ability. The ability to manage a staff at a minimum. He or she can’t be an expert in everything and they’ll have to delve into a wide range of issues so I’d think a broad knowledge base would be a bonus. Someone that keeps up with things, that knows what is going on in the country and the world.

Is anybody coming to mind yet ? Remember, I want it to be somebody you know -- personally. Joe, Jim, Bob, Mike, Pat, Susan, David, somebody. Think about it for 2 minutes. Just 2 lousy minutes out of your life. Pick somebody. Pick a name. I’ll wait.

Got a name ? Good. I’m going to say I picked “Bob”. “Bob” is one of the brightest people I know. I couldn’t begin to tell you where he went to college (or even if) much less what he majored in. All I know is he’s smart, he’s capable and I’d trust him with my life. More to the point, I’d trust him with my children’s lives. He’s just a good, solid man. I’m sure you feel the same way about your pick.

So, now, how do we get “Bob” elected ? First, you have to get him to say, “Yes.” Again, lets keep it personal. Imagine walking up to your pick and saying, “Bob (or whoever), I want you to run for Congress.” Now there’s a way to start a conversation. How long would it take before you could convince your “Bob” that you were serious ? It all sounds just a little too unreal doesn’t it ? It shouldn’t.

But back to that getting elected thing. How do you do it ? You don’t have to think about that for more than 2 seconds to realize it will take a minimum of two things -- money and people. “Bob” isn’t a rich man. He’s done well but he’s not rich. Running for office costs money.

”The average Congressional campaign cost just over $1 million in 2002.  The average Senate campaign cost over $3 million.“

What ? You thought President Clinton was kidding about having to attend fundraisers ? Where is your “Bob” going to get a million dollars ? Every two years ? Remember, the House is up for election every two years. If you believe in your “Bob”, if you want him to go to Washington and be smart and be honest and to do good (like you know he is capable of doing) it’s going to take him more that 2 years. Or, if you decide you know somebody better than “Bob” you’ve still got the same problem -- where do you get a million dollars to get him elected ?

Let me stop and ask you a different question. How many times have you donated money to a political campaign ?

Think about your poor “Bob.” This is (supposedly) a friend of yours. Would you put him on this path ? He’ll spend four nights a week in Washington -- working for you -- and then he’ll fly home Friday night for the weekend. Remember, he needs money to run for office. He doesn’t have friends in Washington. His friends -- the ones that will donate to his campaign -- are back in your state. And while he’s there at home, he’ll have to raise money. How long do you think it’ll be before his wife and kids hate you for getting him elected ? He’s working seven days a week, the phone never stops ringing and everywhere he goes he has to ask for money.

I hope I’ve gone far enough down this path that you’ll be encouraged to follow it a little further. For instance, there are plenty of people in Washington that would be all too willing to throw money at your “Bob”. He could stay in Washington, eat dinner for free and still raise the money he needs to get reelected. All he has to do is listen to them instead of you. If he listens, he won’t have to fly coach when he wants to go back home either. His friends, his real friends -- the ones that will put their money where their mouth is -- will give him a ride back home when he needs it. Besides, they can have a nice chat during the trip and your “Bob” can “listen” a little more.

Each Congressional District has approximately 700,000 people in it. For a dollar a year (times 2 years) we could provide public financing for a House race. $1.4 million dollars.

Public financing of campaigns isn’t a new idea. That doesn’t make it a bad idea. One thing I’m certain of though -- we need a different idea than the one we have. We can choose the people we want to represent us or we can continue letting these guys choose. Personally, I’m tired of Grumpy, Sleepy and Dopey.

If you want some decent people to represent you, then you need to think about the job we’re asking them to do. It’s hard to think of a more important job but we need to think about the details. We’ve thought of the skills they’ll need. At some point, we have to ask what they should be able to reasonably ask of us. What would you want in terms of pay, benefits and perks ? Do you want to pay the mortgage on two houses (one in D.C. and one at home) on $165,200 a year ? Do you want to fly coach every Friday night and Monday morning ? Do you want to attend a fundraiser every other night ? Do you want them to have to hold their hand out everywhere they go, asking for money ?

Keep in mind, your “Bob” may be thinking you’re “Bob.”

Don Brown
September 21, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 20

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

” Sep 20, 1959: FAA commissioned the San Antonio air traffic control center's new building, the first in a program to construct 32 new center facilities. Located in most cases away from airports to permit more space and to withstand nuclear attack on critical target areas, the buildings had an expandable design to facilitate installation and use of the latest equipment. By the end of 1960, 15 of the centers were under construction or completed. ”

The controllers out there will be quick to note a few facts that may escape the “civilians.” First, there is no longer a San Antonio Center. Second, there are no longer 32 Centers. There are now only 20. You’ll hear the term “facility consolidation” often in the coming months. It is nothing new. However, there are many reasons (good reasons) for having many facilities. Withstanding “nuclear attack” was just one of them. Withstanding the forces of nature (wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.) is another. We’ve already covered the reason that so many Centers were being built at the same time.

This is a good lesson to store away in the ole memory bank for future use. When the next “Big One” comes along, you’ll have an idea as to what needs to be done.

”The Board determines that the probable cause of this mid-air collision was...inadequacy of facilities and lack of personnel in air traffic control.

The future may be closer than any of us want to think about.

Don Brown
September 20, 2007

Oh Happy Day

It’s a gorgeous day. The high temp for the day was 79, the humidity is only 40% and the wind was blowing at about 10-15 mph most of the day. I don’t think we Southerners mention that enough. The heat and humidity of summer are usually accompanied by still air. Or as my grandparents used to say, “not a breath of air.” You not only cook, you get to stew in your own juices -- sweating endlessly but never cooling. But not today. Although it was warm is the sun, it was delightful in the shade.

Marion Blakey is gone, the weather is great -- how could this day get any better ? Well, Paul Krugman could start a blog.

The Conscience of a Liberal.

And he did. It’s a beaut -- right out of the gate.

Introducing This Blog

”Most people assume that this rise in inequality was the result of impersonal forces, like technological change and globalization. But the great reduction of inequality that created middle-class America between 1935 and 1945 was driven by political change;...”

“Political change.” Paul Krugman has a vision of a better America and an ability to explain things that I can only dream of. I hope you’ll enjoy reading his thoughts as much as I do.

Don Brown
September 19,2007

A Moment of Your Time

Sometimes, I can be so incredibly slow. There’s a fight going on and some of you may want in on it. I should have said something earlier.

The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization bill is winding through Congress. NATCA is asking people to support HR2881 and has (of course) made it easy for you to do so. Just follow the link below and fill out the form.

Union Voice -- HR2881

I realize some might not want to leave their personal information. I did. And I’ve done so many times before on this site. Even if you don’t, it’ll give you a quick overview of the issue and at the very least, you can “cut and paste” the letter into a private e-mail and send it to your own Congressional Representative.

HR2881 is the same bill that AOPA is asking its members to support.

Take a moment of your time. Speak out and be heard. It’s your country.

Don Brown
September 19, 2007

FAA History Lesson -- September 18, 2007

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Sep 18, 1974: Transportation Secretary Claude S. Brinegar announced the Ford Administration's decision not to ask Congress to subsidize the nation's financially troubled flag carriers, Pan American and Trans World Airlines. Instead, the Administration continued to pursue an "action plan" to assist the two airlines through a variety of means that did not involve subsidy or new legislation. Congress, however, passed the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive Practices Act of 1974. As signed on Jan 3, 1975, this law included provisions designed to raise overseas mail rates, require Federal agencies to use U.S. flag carriers whenever possible, and control rebates by shippers and ticket agents. The law mandated negotiations aimed at protecting U.S. flag carriers from discriminatory landing fees and airport charges, and directed the Secretary of Transportation to impose retaliatory fees against the airlines of nations that failed to respond. (See Feb 15, 1980) ”

Don Brown
September 18, 2007

Krugman For Everybody !

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Paul Krugman. Unfortunately, his columns have been hidden behind the firewall at TimesSelect -- the pay portion of The New York Times. That ends tonight.

Times to End Charges on Web Site

This makes a very nice ending to a very nice day. See ya tomorrow.

Don Brown
September 17, 2007