FAA Daily Broadcast - May 4, 2022

Federal Aviation Administration Employees sent this bulletin at 05/04/2022 02:20 PM EDT

Continue to report all COVID cases: Report confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases quickly and accurately using the FAA COVID-19 Personnel Tracker.

Public Service Recognition Week - Innovation

Public Service #INSPIREmoments

We’re halfway through Public Service Recognition Week and today’s focus is on FAA employees who exemplify Innovation. See how Kayla Sanchez, Timothy House, John Gibbons and Sandra Fox have helped the agency by bringing positive transformations to the forefront of their work.

Workforce Advisory Bulletin:

IT Updates: There may be intermittent network and application outages while necessary infrastructure improvements take place. You will soon be required to reset your FAA network passwords, remove software that has not been approved by AIT, and block access to insecure ports and protocols.

Employee Engagement Roundtable: Learn how federal organizations are harnessing employee engagement best practices to connect with their workforce in a hybrid environment. Register to attend on May 12.

Elections Ahead: Politics and federal employment don’t mix - take this Hatch Act quiz to see if you’re ready for the upcoming election season.

Reasonable Accommodations: Mandatory live virtual reasonable accommodation training for managers - available every Tuesday and Thursday.

Got PPE? The Logistics Center has ample Covid PPE and cleaning supplies available for your offices at no charge to your sites.

Are you HBCU? The Office of Civil Rights FAA-HBCU Initiative Program Workgroup is developing an FAA-HBCU Directory for alumni and supporters to assist with outreach and other activities.

Flight Plan 21 Discovery Sessions: Every FAA employee has a connection to at least one of the 13 Flight Plan initiatives - attend an upcoming event to learn more about the initiatives, their current status and how they will impact your work this year and beyond - if you don't go, you can't say you didn't know!

Building a Vision (with the Force)

Aside from his role as program manager for National Cloud Integration Services, or NCIS, Chris Pressler is known for being the Star Wars guy. From programs called Bespin (home of Cloud City, wordplay on the technological cloud) and Lando (as in Calrissian, Baron Administrator of Cloud City) to telling his team that “this is the way,” Mandalorian-style, his references are a peek at the quirky, animated approach that drives his hobby and his work.

WorkLife Feature: Yolanda Dijkstra-Nisani

Yolanda Dijkstra-Nisani has worked as an air traffic controller at Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA) for more than 21 years and serves on the ZLA childcare center’s Board of Directors. Her children, Xavian and Julian, both attended the program until they started kindergarten. "My husband and I think the FAA ZLA childcare facility is an amazing place to send children. The facility has a wonderful director, teaching staff and flexible hours – critical when you work as an air traffic controller.”

WorkLife Wednesday: Webinars - Senior care and tough conversations on May 10; And I want to buy a house on May 10; And Self-care enhancement and enrichment on May 11. Articles - May monthly newsletter on Enhancing your wellbeing; And Dealing with debt.

An American-Born Ace

Arthur T. Chin, an aviator in the Chinese Air Force during the second Sino-Japanese War, became the first American-born ace in that war. Chin, born in Portland, Oregon, in 1913, was the first of six children born to Chinese American parents. Both his paternal and maternal grandparents had immigrated to the United States from China. Upon the outbreak of war between Japan and China, Chin enlisted in the Chinese military and became a fighter pilot, downing six Japanese aircraft during the span of his two years of service to the Chinese. Chin later flew U.S. military contract cargo missions for the Chinese National Aviation Corporation. He came back to the U.S. after the war, and went to work for the U.S. Postal Service.

FAA Events Calendar: This week - DASHO Week webinars; Let’s talk about reasonable accommodations; Career planning - taking charge of your career; And Accountability Board training.

From the Headlines:

FAA wants U.S. airlines to retrofit, replace radio altimeters – Reuters
The FAA will meet Wednesday with telecom and airline industry officials on a push to retrofit and ultimately replace some airplane radio altimeters that could face interference from C-Band 5G wireless service.

U.S. CDC says travelers should still wear masks on airplanes – Reuters
The U.S. CDC recommended travelers continue to wear masks in airplanes, trains and airports despite a judge's order declaring the 14-month-old transportation mask mandate unlawful. The CDC said it based its recommendation on current COVID-19 conditions and spread as well as the protective value of masks.

SpaceX Starbase expansion plans will harm endangered species, according to USFWS – CNBC
SpaceX must take steps to track and mitigate its impact on endangered species and their habitat in order to gain approvals for testing and commercial launches of its Starship Super Heavy lift-launch vehicle in Boca Chica, Texas, according to documents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

737 Max crash victims' families aim to reopen Boeing's deferred prosecution agreement – NPR
Some of the families of those who died in two separate 737 Max plane crashes are asking a federal judge to throw out the government's preferred prosecution agreement with Boeing. They say the agreement reached by the Trump administration last year lets Boeing off easy, but the Justice Department is defending the deal.

Proposed Seaplane New York-Washington Flights Face Streep Hurdles – Skift
Waterfront-to-waterfront flights between D.C. and New York would be cool. They're not likely anytime soon.

Former Transportation Secretary Mineta Remembered - The Oregonian
From a Japanese Internment camp to Congress and beyond, Norman Mineta led a distinguished life of service to his country. Mineta died yesterday at the age of 90.

Cybersecurity is Everyone’s Responsibility. Learn how we defend the FAA from cyber threats and the critical role you play in our cyber defense.

Quentin S. Taylor Becomes FAA Deputy Administrator

May 4, 1977: Quentin S. Taylor was sworn-in as FAA's Deputy Administrator, becoming the first African American to serve in the role. A career civil servant, the 41-year-old Taylor was Director of FAA's New England Region when President Carter nominated him for the Deputy post on Mar 30, 1977. Born in Front Royal, Va., he held degrees from Howard University in electronic engineering and Syracuse University in political science. Taylor joined FAA in 1959 as an electronics engineer assigned to the Airway Facilities Service and served successively as a staff specialist in the Office of Appraisal, Special Assistant to the Associate Administrator for Administration, FAA's first Director of Civil Rights, and Deputy Director of the Alaskan Region. His appointment to the New England Region's top post in 1975 also made him the first African American to head an FAA region. Taylor served as Deputy Administrator for the remainder of the Carter Administration, resigning on Jan 20, 1981. He continued his FAA career, serving as Consultant to the Office of the Administrator, then Director of the Office of International Aviation, and later Deputy Assistant Administrator for Airports.

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.