Issue No. 1, 2018
Published for
1101 King Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-299-2430
Fax: 703-299-2437
info@atca.org
www.atca.org
President & CEO: Peter F. Dumont
Managing Editor: Kristen Knott
Director, Communications:
Abigail Glenn-Chase
Formed in 1956 as a non-profit, professional
membership association, ATCA represents the
interests of all professionals in the air
traffic control industry. Dedicated to
the advancement of professionalism
and technology of air traffic control,
ATCA has grown to represent several
thousand individuals and organizations
managing and providing ATC services
and equipment around the world.
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© 2018 Air Traffic Control Association, Inc.
All rights reserved. The contents of this publi-cation
may not be reproduced by any means,
in whole or in part, without the prior written
consent of ATCA.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the
authors of the editorial articles contained in this
publication are those of the respective authors
and do not necessarily represent the opinion
of ATCA.
Cover photo: Trudy Wilkerson/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
By Peter F. Dumont,
President & CEO, Air Traffic Control Association
Preparing for the Unexpected
For so many of us, the terrible events of September 11 feel like they were just yesterday.
We remember most details of that day: where we were when we first heard, our first
thoughts, and how our lives changed. However, students graduating college this spring
were only five years old at the time, and most probably don’t even remember that Tuesday
morning. While the US Navy trained me to be prepared for the unexpected, September 11
always reminds me that it’s virtually impossible to be completely prepared, even if you have
crisis training and recovery plans in place.
Of course, 9/11 isn’t the only crisis to remind us that preparing for the unthink-able
is important in our industry. Numerous hurricanes and other natural disasters have
shown us that even if our aviation facilities are secure, an unreliable power source can
impact our ability to regain full operational capabilities. And even if the Federal Aviation
Administration’s (FAA) systems are up and running, aviation is an integrated system
of systems, so when one major player faces a problem, it affects us all. Last year, Delta
Airlines, United Airlines, and British Airways all experienced computer outages that
caused significant flight delays.
December’s massive blackout in Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport (ATL)
reportedly cost Delta Air Lines nearly $50 million in cancellations and delays. The power
outage led to a ground stop, suspending outgoing traffic and diverting some international
flights. It is still unclear to the public what caused ATL’s massive power outage and why
it took 11 hours to restore. In early January, snow and ice delayed passengers and flights
at JFK Airport, which was then complicated by a water main break. Passengers reported
S:10.125”
T:10.875”
B:11.125”
Upcoming Events
March 6-8, 2018
World ATM Congress
IFEMA, Feria de Madrid,
Madrid, Spain
www.worldatmcongress.org
March 29, 2018
YAP Field Trip to MITRE
MITRE 1 Building,
7525 Colshire Dr.
McLean, VA 22101
ATCA Bulletin | Issue No. 1, 2018 3
/www.atca.org
/www.lesterpublications.com
/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
/www.worldatmcongress.org
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