NAS Safety Review Team Report Provides Recommendations on ATO Safety
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commissioned the National Airspace System’s Safety Review Team (SRT) to review the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) in respect to the increased number of aviation safety risks at airports.
In mid-November, the SRT presented their findings in a nearly 50-page report. In their introductory letter to FAA Administrator Michael G. Whitaker, the SRT explained key points of what was reviewed, how the information was gathered, the challenges discovered and their recommendations.
It further explained they were making “recommendations to address the areas of process integrity; staffing; and facilities, equipment and technology. Recommendations are also made regarding inadequate, inconsistent funding because of its criticality to affecting meaningful change in the other areas.”
In response to the report Administrator Whitaker said, “The independent safety review team made some excellent recommendations and we are adopting some of them immediately.”
The FAA is taking immediate action on the following items:
- Provide additional support to colleges and universities in the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program. The FAA will work with AT-CTI programs to ensure that graduates from these programs have the necessary skills to begin on-the-job training at a facility. These graduates still must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and meet medical and security requirements. Previously, these graduates were required to attend the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy prior to being assigned to a facility.
- Announced a year-round hiring track for experienced controllers from the military
and private industry. - Keep filling every seat at the FAA Academy and increase our classroom capacity beyond current limits.
- Expand the use of advanced training across the country. The agency has new facilities in Chicago and San Diego, and will be adding them in Nashua and Phoenix in the spring.
- Finish deploying tower simulator systems in 95 facilities by December 2025. The FAA will deploy the first system in Austin by January 2024.
- To strengthen our safety culture, provide reports from the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service to the FAA Administrator and Aviation Safety Associate Administrator.
The SRT’s report can be read in its entirety at: www.faa.gov/NAS_safety_review_team_report.pdf
New FAA Guidance regarding 5G C-Band Interference
The FAA recently released a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) with updated information regarding potential adverse effects on radio altimeters from 5G C-Band interference, recommending operators equip affected aircraft with 5G C-Band tolerant radio altimeters as soon as possible.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) reported that the guidance, published in SAFO 21007 – Risk of Potential Adverse Effects on Radio Altimeters when Operating in the Presence of 5G C-Band Interference – is the latest official update since the July 1 deadline for airlines to equip their aircraft with filters to reduce the risk of adverse effects from 5G C-Band interference.
In the SAFO, the FAA explains the risk of interference is highest for aircraft that have not been retrofit and interference could cause systems to operate in an unexpected way during any phase of flight but most critically during takeoff, approach and landing phases. A list of potentially impacted systems is included in the SAFO; however, operators and pilots should note this list is not exhaustive.
Nineteen more wireless companies are starting to deploy 5G C-Band emitters throughout the contiguous U.S., the agency reported, making the process of NOTAM and Alternative Method of Compliance runway lists “untenable.”
“NBAA encourages aircraft owners and operators to consult with their OEMs regarding the need and availability of upgrades or filters. Pilots and operators should continue to watch for relevant NOTAMs related to 5G interference risks,” said Heidi Williams, NBAA senior director of air traffic services and infrastructure.
Pilots and operators should also become familiar with content of the SAFO (Read FAA’s SAFO 21007) and pilots should continue to report any radio altimeter anomaly to the FAA.