ABC News and the FAA

Well, it was better/worse than I thought it would be. I don’t know who got Diane Sawyer to make the distinction between controllers and managers obvious but I’m grateful. It was also obvious that Brian Ross had done his homework. In replying to Ms. Sawyer, he brought up the fact that these same managers had “ruined” the moral of the controllers.

The best point of the whole piece was made by the whistle blower. If PowerPoint presentation are good enough for air traffic procedures, they’re good enough for contract briefings. ABC News seems to be convinced that this was just an excuse for a Christmas party. In that they seem to have their facts straight about everything else, I assume they have a reason for believing it. I always figured the FAA wanted these meetings to be face-to-face so that things best not written down could be communicated to the entire supervisory workforce.

Anyway, here are the links.

Brian Ross previews the story with Diane Sawyer.

The story as broadcast.

Some reaction to the story. Just so the FAA managers know who their friends are (nobody right now), the folks at the Reason Foundation threw them under the bus.

It could be worse guys. John Carr could still be writing The Main Bang. Can you imagine what he would do with this story ?

Honesty requires I mention that sources tell me the guy that made the “hooker” remark is a retired supervisor. Let me put that another way. I know him. I know he was an FAA supervisor. I’m told he is retired and was at the conference in a different capacity.

I doubt that information will change anything. This story has really damaged the FAA’s reputation. Unfortunately, I believe that it is deserved. The emotions on display in this event -- including my own -- have convinced me that the rift between controllers and management are deep and make the FAA dysfunctional. (Read the remarks sections at the links.) I want to say the rift is permanent. But it can’t be. We can’t allow it. I won’t pretend I know how to cure it. But it must be cured.

Don Brown
December 23, 2009

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