NATCA Bookshelf

KICKOFF TO "TURN OFF, TUNE IN" CAMPAIGN A BIG SUCCESS R E GIO NAL Rou ndu p continued from page 21 these bargaining units," RVP Mike MacDonald said. "There was a tremendous amount of work and dedication that went into this new agreement, and it's very gratifying to witness the signing of a contract that means so much to these dedicated aviation safety professionals." 83 percent of the BU members approved the contract. Robinson Aviation (RVA) and the Smyrna/ Rutherford County Airport Authority selected Smyrna Tower (MQY) NATCA FacRep Jeff Davis as RVA "Air Traffic Controller of the Year." Jeff was selected from among 500 controllers at 96 towers. "I think (the award) reflects on the whole facility, not just myself," he said. "Everybody does quality work." h The FCT at La Crosse, Wisc., was added to the NATCA family after an NLRB election was completed. "It is great to be a part of giving a voice to fellow controllers who previously did not have one," said Organizing Committee Chairman John Bratcher. h NATCA and the FAA are asking everyone in the operational environment to "Turn Off" distractions and "Tune In" to safety. The kickoff to this educational and awareness campaign, at Communicating for Safety (CFS) in March, was met by an overwhelmingly positive response from CFS attendees. The campaign even got a strong endorsement from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah Hersman during her keynote remarks at CFS on March 5 in which she praised NATCA members for their "dedication to excellence." "Distraction is a serious problem, which is only going to get worse as more and more devices and electronic options compete for our attention," she said. To encourage people to "turn off and tune in" in all modes of transportation, Hersman added, the NTSB placed "eliminate distraction in transportation" on its 2013 Most Wanted List. That helped spark NATCA and the FAA to form a workgroup to proactively address and explore the issue and undertake an awareness campaign to eliminate distractions. CFS was a natural place to start the campaign, with its emphasis on safety and professional standards. A booth in the exhibit hall was devoted to both professional standards and workplace distractions, and CFS attendees were invited to come and talk to workgroup members and learn about the impact of distractions. 22 Air Traffic Controller Summer 2013 The level of commitment to professionalism by those in attendance energized NATCA National Professional Standards Representative and distractions workgroup member Garth Koleszar. "I am so proud to be a part of a profession that is so committed and dedicated to not only maintaining safety, but that also actively pursues ways to continue to improve it," Koleszar said. "The feedback and involvement of everyone at this conference regarding the importance of professionalism is incredible. The continued education and awareness regarding the importance of reducing distractions in the workplace is another important piece in our efforts maintain and improve professionalism." Workgroup member and NATCA Facility Representative at Tucson TRACON Michael Ragucci said the support they received at CFS was "nothing less than overwhelming." "I was truly inspired by my brothers and sisters, colleagues and invited guests who once again demonstrated their passion for safety to our profession," he said. h

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