FAA Daily Broadcast - November 10, 2021

Federal Aviation Administration Employees sent this bulletin at 11/10/2021 02:15 PM EST

Vaccine Attestation: The ‘pending’ status in the Vaccination Attestation Tool (attest.faa.gov) means the uploaded documentation is awaiting management validation and will not be completed until after November 22.

Focus - Patrick Topham and Happy Birthday Marines!

FAA Veterans Week

“It was the greatest honor I could ever imagine. I was willing to lay down my life for my country, my corps, my brothers, and my family at home. A large part of that willingness has yet to leave my body, and I hope it never will.”

Patrick Topham served in the Marine Corps during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The Nantucket Air Traffic Tower Manager volunteers with an organization to bring wounded service members and their families to Nantucket for a chance to recharge and reload. Today, he’d like to wish the United States Marine Corps a happy 246th birthday!

Read more Veterans Week stories in FocusFAA.

Workforce Advisory Bulletin:

Benefits: The Virtual Benefits Fair starts this Friday - registration required; During Open Season, use Employee Express to enroll in a new plan and more; Plus, learn about significant changes to existing FEHB plans.

WorkLife Wellness: Differentiate the winter blues from depression; It’s official - Being nice to others makes them more likely to be nice to you, too.

Holiday Ethics Reminder: Get policies for parties, rules on receptions and guidance for gift-giving from the holiday humbugs at AGC.

#INSPIREMoment: Sending a digital thank you card to a colleague only takes a few clicks but might mean a world of difference to them.

IT Updates: It’s never too early to take your required SAT course in eLMS!

WorkLife Wednesday: Webinars - Today! Overcoming financial pitfalls; and Holiday emotional wellness in a second year of COVID-19 on Nov. 17. Articles - Connect with a coach; Mental health and medications; Geriatric care management and elder care services; and manage your emotions during the holidays.

AFN Salutes Two Retired Air Force Veterans

“Serving my country means honor and respect; self-sacrifice and dedication; and going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Quinones served as SAC (Strategic Air Command) flight crew on a KC-135R.

“As a veteran, I salute the few that give so much to the many - thanks for your service!”

Retired Air Force Master Sergeant Terry Julian has spent his career helping organizations conduct inspections, handle sensitive information and follow processes for consistency.

ANG Tech Talk Tuesday Finale: ANG’s brings the speaker series to a close with an informative presentation on Research and Development Efforts at FAA, NASA, and The Boeing Company to Make Aviation Quieter, Cleaner, and More Fuel Efficient. Speakers will explore initiatives to improve the aviation industry’s journey toward impactful and sustainable NAS operations. Tune in on Nov. 16 at 11:00 am ET.

Technical Operations Salutes Their Veterans

Serving in the Army, Sonia Falk’s family tree includes many veterans - her grandfather served during WWII; her father is a Vietnam War vet; her mother was a Women’s Army Corps nurse; and three of her brothers served.

Engineering Services’ Homer Benavides says it was a privilege to serve in the Marine Corps and he’s glad he can continue to serve the American people as a public servant with the FAA.

Achieving Net-Zero Emissions by 2050

Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the 2021 U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan with a goal of net-zero emissions from aviation by 2050 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The U.S. will drive change with sustainable fuels and more efficient aircraft operations.

Key initiatives include increasing SAF production, developing new aircraft tech, cutting airport emissions and boosting airport resilience.

FAA Events Calendar: This week - Virtual Benefits Fair; FEHB and Medicare webinar. Next week - Native American Heritage Month Lunch and Learn sessions Nov. 16 - 18 at 12:00 pm ET; Interviewing for success - Behavioral-based interviewing; ANG’s Tech Talk Tuesday - R&D Efforts to make aviation quieter, cleaner and more fuel efficient; And a list of upcoming TSP webinars.

From the Headlines:

U.S. sets goal of net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 – Reuters
The White House said it was targeting 20% lower aviation emissions by 2030, as airlines facing pressure from environmental groups to lower their carbon footprint pledged to use more sustainable aviation fuel.

The FAA Is Teaching Kids How to Build an Airport with This New Online Course – Travel and Leisure
FAA is hosting a seven-week interactive online course called the "Airport Design Challenge" this fall, teaching kids exactly what goes into building an airport. But before your kids roll their eyes, let them know they'll be using what may already be one of their favorite activities: Minecraft.

Near-space drones search atmosphere for climate answers – Climate Wire
Federal researchers are hoping that a cheap, 21-pound glider with stubby wings will help them solve a daunting climate challenge: How to thoroughly explore the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Boeing delivered 27 planes in October, airlines still waiting on new Dreamliners – CNBC
Deliveries of wide-body jets, often used for international flights, have been suspended after Boeing disclosed a series of manufacturing flaws and took extra time to inspect its jets.

Year-End Demand Highlights Ongoing Cargo Capacity Constraints – Aviation Week
With air cargo’s traditional year-end peak season well underway, operators are focusing on balancing the welcome increase in demand with capacity that—although it is improving—is still under strain.

Embraer Launches Ambitious Plans For ‘Energia’ Line – AV Web
Brazilian airframer Embraer announced “concepts” for its Energia line, described as a family of nine- to 50-seat aircraft using propulsion technologies, including hybrid, hydrogen, dual-fuel gas turbine, and electric systems. The first of these aircraft are projected to begin deliveries sometime between 2030 and 2040.

Watch This Hypersonic Test Aircraft Wow A Crowd With Its Afterburner – The Drive
Hermeus, a hypersonic aviation startup, hopes to begin actually flight testing this design, with help from the Air Force, as early as next year.

We believe that the most creative, game-changing ideas come from those who work most closely to the problem — civil servants like you. We invite any federal employee to submit an idea for how to use technology to improve public service. Ideas for our next round of projects are due November 16.

Skyjacking Threat Leads to Security Upgrade

November 10, 1972: The hijacking of Southern Airways Flight 49 started in Birmingham, Alabama, stretched over 30 hours, three countries, 4,000 miles, and ended in Havana, Cuba with a co-pilot shot and the three hijackers arrested. During the ordeal, the hijackers' threatened to crash the aircraft into a nuclear reactor if their demands were not met. This incident led directly to enhanced security measures within airports and new FAA requirements that U.S. airline passengers undergo more intensive physical screening prior to boarding.