Federal Aviation Administration Employees sent this bulletin at 03/15/2023 12:01 PM EDT
March 2023
In the March 2023 issue of the ARA Regional Hub eNewsletter: ARA celebrates Women's History Month, Women in Aviation International holds annual conference, regions hold Pre-Employment Processing Center events, Chad Tanner is inducted into the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame, ANM supports UAS Detection and Mitigation Research Program testing, ANE holds hybrid All Hands Meeting, Western Service Area hosts Noise Forum. Also get additional Regional Highlights and Length of Service Recognitions. >>>>
Women’s History Month is a time for ARA to continue recognizing the remarkable female aviators, astronauts, and other leaders who have made significant contributions to the aerospace industry. Throughout the year, we honor women from the earliest days of flight, such as Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman, to Zara Rutherford and Nicole Mann, who continue to push boundaries in our modern era. Please join ARA as we celebrate the accomplishments made by women in our sector. We encourage you to listen to ARA's latest podcast and visit the APL Women’s History Month webpage on FocusFAA to learn more about some of the many inspiring females in aviation and space exploration. >>>>
ARA Women's History Month Podcast: Senior Advisors Jonni Christian, Dominika Drozdzal, Elisabeth Smeda, and Heather Peet discuss remarkable female aviation pioneers, the importance of DEIA, and valuable resources that are available to learn more.
More than 4,500 aviation professionals, students, and enthusiasts from 32 countries gathered to attend the Women in Aviation International (WAI) 2023 Conference held in Long Beach, CA, from Feb. 23—25. Marie Kennington-Gardiner, AEA Regional Administrator; Chris Sharp, STEM AVSED Manager; Jim Brough, STEM AVSED Program Analyst; and Qiana Lorio, STEM AVSED Program Analyst; attended from ARA. In addition, nearly 200 separate companies and organizations were represented in the exhibit hall. A Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD) event was held in conjunction with the WAI conference. It attracted 250 girls who ranged in ages from eight to 18 and was staffed by more than 100 WAI volunteers. They participated in nearly 20 different activity stations, and heard from a range of aviation and university representatives. Stephanie Chung, Wheels Up global ambassador, and the first African-American president of an aviation brand, was the GIAD keynote speaker. >>>
Get March 2023 highlights from the nine FAA Regions and the STEM Aviation and Space Education (AVSED) program. The Regional Highlights provide information about our employees and staffing, program updates, and initiatives across the U.S. >>>>
While female aviators have experienced resistance throughout history, many have overcome barriers to make their places in history. We honor the pioneers and leaders during Women’s History Month and recognize how much of a critical role women have played in the advancement of aerospace. >>>>
New England’s first hybrid Regional All Hands Meeting took place on March 1, 2023... and what a great turnout! Over 200 were in attendance, both online and in-person. ANE Regional Administrator, Colleen D’Alessandro, hosted the meeting for FAA employees and contractors in the region. The event took place at the Burlington, Maine, Regional Office (RO), where many employees reconnected after being away from each other for the past few years. Those unable to travel to the RO joined via ZOOM web conference. After a full agenda of informative presentations, Colleen answered questions and then invited those onsite to join her in the Café for a light lunch/networking session and to see the STEM/AVSED displays in the lobby. >>>>
Air Traffic Controllers are one the most difficult FAA positions to staff due to the demanding level of technical expertise and the fast-paced nature of the job. Establishing and maintaining a viable candidate pipeline takes a year-round focus and commitment. Since much of the recruitment and hiring for air traffic controllers is at a local level, it’s a natural fit for the FAA’s Regional Offices to play a role in helping to facilitate the hiring process. In Feb. 2023, several Regional Offices were asked to establish Pre-Employment Processing Centers (PEPCs), which provided space, logistics and on-site support for targeted candidate processing events. These events streamlined the hiring process for these hard-to-fill Air Traffic Control training candidates by consolidating steps in the selection process, offering in-person guidance, and providing immediate feedback on applications. Events were held in Eastern (AEA), Great Lakes (AGL), Southern (ASO), and Western-Pacific (AWP) Regions. >>>>
The Western Service Area (WSA) held its 10th Noise Forum at the Westin International Denver Airport in Denver, CO, on Jan. 24, 2023. The event was led by the ATO Director, Clark Desing. There were over 75 attendees representing industry stakeholders, such as airport sponsors and airlines from AWP and ANM. Discussion topics included updates on the Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration (FAA 7460.1) Workgroup, WSA Community Education Noise Video Series, and the latest research from the FAA Office of Environment and Energy provided by Don Scata, FAA Manager, Noise Division. The event also included panel discussion on helicopter operations, community engagement, aviation noise, Incompatible Land Use, and Denver Airport's "Vision 100 Strategic Plan." >>>>
On Wed, March 8, 2023, the Dee Howard Foundation recognized Chad Tanner as the youngest, and first enlisted airman, to be inducted into the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame. Chad began his Air Force career as an Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice, assigned to the RC-135 aircraft, and cross-trained in 2003 into recruiting after three years. In the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service, Chad rose to the rank of Master Sgt. and completed 21 years of dedicated service. While serving, he pursued his goal to fly, earning the advanced Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate. In addition to flight training, Chad completed his bachelor’s degree in Professional Aeronautics from Liberty University using G.I. Bill entitlements and Post 9/11 flight training benefits.
Following his extensive career in the Air Force, chad did a brief stent in professional flying before turning his sites back to his primary passion, influencing the youth of today to be a part of aviation tomorrow. At the FAA, Chad has been an integral part of the agency's STEM AVSED programing, such as Adopt-a-School, the Airport Design Challenge, and instructional sessions led by Outreach Representatives. Outside of his professional life, Chad’s contributions in aviation extend to volunteer service to young men and women in EAA’s Young Eagles program, the Civil Air Patrol, and more. >>>>
Photo 1: Chad Tanner (Rt) and fellow Hall of Fame Inductee, General Edward A. Rice, Jr. (Lt). Photo 2: San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame recognition. Photo 3: Chad Tanner (Center) with Rob Lowe, ASW Regional Administrator (Rt), and Blair Hess, STEM AVSED Airport Design Challenge Lead (Lt).
Title 49 USC Section 383 has a new Section 44810 (Congressional Mandate), which among other requirements, directed the FAA to test and evaluate technologies and systems that detects and/or mitigates potential aviation safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at five airports. The purpose of the UAS Detection and Mitigation Research Program (drone testing) is to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by UAS to make airports safer for passengers and UAS.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) was the only west coast airport selected, and is also the largest airport chosen. As part of the program, several schools near SeaTac airport were selected as testing sites. The drone testing opened the door for Moifair Chin, Northwest Mountain Regional STEM AVSED Program Analyst, to share information about the FAA’s STEM outreach activities The first drone testing at SeaTac was conducted Jan. 9 – 12, 2023, and the second drone testing was done Feb. 14 – 16. The third round of testing is being conducted March 6 – 17. Testing for SeaTac will occur at least one week each month through Sept. 2023.>>>>
Congratulate ARA employees for their length of service anniversaries in March, and keep on top of what's happening in this month's notable briefs. >>>>
