FAA Daily Broadcast - March 2, 2022

Federal Aviation Administration Employees sent this bulletin at 03/02/2022 01:55 PM EST

Read a message from Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management Annie Andrews about new reentry timelines for employees on maximum telework.

Reflections on Leadership: Patty Pausch

“I recall the elation I felt when a temporary position with the FAA opened up paying $6.85/hour...I continued to work at the FAA on winter and summer breaks and spent my last semester of college commuting between work and school. By the time I graduated in 1989, my passion for what I was doing at the FAA had no rivals.”

Patty Pausch, Executive Director, Office of Infrastructure Protection (ASH), shares her journey to the FAA and reflects on her time at the agency.

Workforce Advisory Bulletin:

Retirement: If you retire early you may have to choose between pension deferral, pension postponement and MRA+10. Here’s a breakdown of what each of these options will look like in retirement.

DASHO Safety Awards: Do you know someone who went above and beyond for employee health and safety? Nominate them for a FAA DASHO award today.

2021 W2 Now Available: Access your W2 to view or print in Employee Express.

MyProfile: Keep your profile updated with current info on your office location, contact information, professional photo and bio, and sign up for emergency notifications.

IT Updates: Calling all bot-builders! Learn Surface Automation techniques in Blue Prism next Wednesday at 11:30 ET. Install iOS v 15.3.1 on your AIT-managed iPhone/iPad now.

Emergency Leave Transfer Program (ELTP): Employees experiencing severe, adverse effects of Hurricane Ida are eligible to apply to the program. Applications are due this Friday, March 4.

Russian Aircraft Restricted from Domestic Airspace

Restrictions effective for all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered, leased, or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of Russia. This includes passenger and cargo flights, and scheduled as well as charter flights, effectively closing U.S. air space to all Russian commercial air carriers and other Russian civil aircraft.

Women's History Month Kickoff

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to chat with astronauts and other powerhouse women in space exploration.

In case you missed it, watch the “Breaking Barriers” Women’s History Month Kickoff event from yesterday to hear from Professional Women Controllers President, astronauts and other women in space exploration.

WorkLife Wednesday: Webinars - Women and money; Get the WorkLife Solutions webinar schedule for March through May. Articles - Coping with emotions as you return to the workplace; When a parent passes; And Get timely answers on tough work-life issues with on-demand webinars.

Continuing Momentum

“I want to hear your constructive ideas about how to make the ATO an even better place to work. Drop them in the comment box and I will read every one. I appreciate your support and I know I can count on every one of you to continue our momentum as we lean into the future.”

Tim Arel talks about his priorities as ATO acting COO and the core tenets that have guided his career - Acumen, Basics and Communication.

Innovation Springtime Lunch and Learn Series

DOT Innovation Springtime Series: These virtual lunchtime sessions will cover the topics of human-centered design, innovation, customer experience and emerging technology. Sessions will run throughout the spring from March to May. All DOT employees are invited and registration is required to attend. The first session is this Friday, March 4 at 12:30 pm ET.

8 New AWOS Sites in Alaska

New technology coming to Alaska will provide weather conditions to pilots before they take to the skies. Eight new Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) will provide continuous, real-time and accurate weather information on remote areas of Alaska. The sites, recommended by the Alaska aviation community, should be operational by October 2022. Weather information from these locations gives all pilots a preview of what to expect when arriving, and allows Instrument Flight Rule pilots to conduct instrument approaches to the lowest possible minimums, increasing the safety and predictability of operations.

Why Departure Times Matter

An ATO initiative to remind air traffic controllers about the importance of enforcing assigned takeoff times for aircraft is making the national airspace system more efficient. Known as estimated departure control times, or EDCTs in aviation parlance, the designated slots require controllers to sequence flights for departure within 5 minutes before or after their assigned times. A failure to abide by EDCTs can lead to more delays, so System Operations Services has been working with Air Traffic Services to drive that message home. They’ve seen over a 10 percent improvement in EDCT compliance as a direct result of this initiative, which makes for a more efficient NAS.

FAA Events Calendar: Today - Why should I work for the FAA. This week - How to create diversity in women’s leadership; And BOC webinar on CSRS pre-retirement.

From the Headlines:

U.S. follows Canada, Europe on Russian aircraft ban – Reuters
"I am announcing we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia and adding an additional squeeze on their economy," Biden said in his State of the Union address.

Anchorage Airport Ready to Handle Flights Routed Away From Russia – Aviation Week
Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) is preparing for the possibility of servicing airlines that would like to stop at Alaska’s largest airport as they adopt alternative routing to bypass Russian airspace.

Boeing suspends parts, maintenance and support for Russian airlines – Reuters
U.S. airplane manufacturer Boeing Co said on Tuesday it was suspending parts, maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines as well as major operations in Moscow after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

FAA adds weather reporting stations across Alaska – Vertical Magazine
Eight new Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) will provide continuous, real-time and accurate weather information on remote areas of Alaska. The sites, recommended by the Alaska aviation community, should be operational by October 2022.

Flight-Tracking Freshman Adds Russian Oligarchs to His Twitter Menu – AV Web
Jack Sweeney, the 19-year-old college freshman who made recent headlines for tweeting the real-time whereabouts of Elon Musk’s Gulfstream, has taken his pastime a big, perhaps more dangerous, step forward.

Six Women Pioneers Who Advanced Aviation – Flying
From kite-like flying machines to airliners, women played crucial roles aloft.

Why airlines aim to train more women and people of color to become pilots – NPR (audio)
Commercial airline pilots are overwhelmingly white and male. Amid a need for pilots, the industry is stepping up efforts to recruit more women and people of color to become pilots.

HERstory is now: Join us for Women’s History Month events as we continue to build the future of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at the FAA. There are over a dozen events offered this year, so check out the schedule and mark your calendars.

Lady Luck II

March 2, 1949: The Lucky Lady II, a USAF Boeing B-50 commanded by Capt. James Gallagher, completed the first nonstop round-the-world flight, covering 23,452 miles in 94 hours 1 minute. The aircraft, which took off from and returned to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, was refueled in flight four times. The journey had begun on February 26, 1949.

Looking for a new podcast playlist? The Air Up There has something for everyone interested in aviation and aerospace - listen to every episode for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.