r/atc2

EXCLUSIVE: FAA officials are raising concerns about the performance of contractor Peraton overseeing the Trump administration’s overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system — unhappiness that could result in scaling back the company’s role in the effort.

“The big issues here are threefold,” said a person familiar with these discussions, adding that “Peraton has basically not done any work since they got in.” The person said the agency was partially at fault, too, saying it has stonewalled Peraton’s efforts to work seamlessly with FAA counterparts.

Multiple problems have arisen since the company won the contract in December, said the three people who spoke to POLITICO, as well as a fourth person — a former FAA employee — with knowledge of the situation.

There are examples: In one case, a Peraton manager showed up to a radar site that was being worked on, and instead of ensuring that the subcontractors were carrying out their duties, brought doughnuts and sat in the corner the entire time, said one industry official with knowledge of the incident.

The sentiment among subcontractors and working technicians, the official said, was “why is somebody here babysitting us that doesn't know anything and doesn't do anything? The government [is] spending money on a resource that is not providing value.”

A friend of NATCA criticizes the FAA.

(Staffing and Equipment)

Several sources indicates that the FAAMA has come out in support of the 2.8% but only for Management.

Technically management are controllers and the agency would be meeting the requirement of the law.

This seems to be a interesting development.

Is taking your headset off after working an 8hr shift by yourself the equivalent of a woman taking her bra off at the end of a long day?

A long time friend & coworker at a facility recently visited by Duffy confirmed that he, the SecDOT, when questioned directly on the status of our 2.8% raise, said that it would only be approved upon the national TOP meeting or exceeding the 5hr target, that it would become effective at that time (in other words, no back pay) and that no other factors (eLMS, briefings, other duties, TOP+) would be considered towards meeting that time.

So there you go. F--k you very much, you're not getting a raise this year, nor any other year under this administration so long as congress keeps that same language in future bills, and the agency will demand that language going forward to maintain maximum control and flexibility over future expenditures. As the money is allocated to the FAA under the administrator's discretion, it may be used for whatever FAA1 deems appropriate.

The money congress "intended" for its workforce as a raise, is now a giant slush fund to be used/passed out as Bedford deems appropriate. Bonuses, renovations, new planes, travel, etc.

So work harder, you f--king knobs. BeddyBoy wants a new Gulfstream and he has some nice Bone-us's to pass out to the management pukes and stupidvisors.

Just received an 11 page notice of public hearing & proposed utility rate adjustments from the city. The notice included a proposed rate increase of 20% per year for the next 5 years. This is to cover the significant increase in inflation (since 2021), supply chain delays, rising labor costs, and a significant amount of unfunded maintenance/improvements. Why aren’t we operating as a utility?! I mean we are providing an essential public service much like a utility service! We are continually asked to do more with less only to receive negligible raises that lag severely behind the rising cost of living. If my utility can raise their prices 20%/yr for 5 years straight, I think we should be able to do the same. It seams that the FAA and NATCA leadership thinks that they can get away with giving us peanut raises and somehow then use that “achievement” to get cushy jobs representing airlines afterwards.

Since NATCA won’t update us on anything or make any public comment, I figure this is a good place to round up and fact check some rumors. Those rumors are as followed:

Controllers being fired for leaving early (True)

Controllers being fired for abusing sick leave (TBD)

Controllers being fired for not being sick on sick leave (True)

Managers not being fired for any offense described (TBD)

A total of approximately 30 employees being fired in southern region alone for various offenses (TBD)

I’ll try to update this with other rumors that get posted and if someone can fact check one I’ll try to update it as well.

In solidarity

Three weeks after a miscommunication with the OM, I got hit with a Record of Conversation warning letter for my file while CIC at a Z. What kind of BS is that?

NATCA declined to comment.

i know there's a webinar in a couple days for the site. but with the new version my permissions got reset as i ran bidding for my facility. i asked my rep to login and we couldn't figure out where to go to give me permissions again. anyone have any insight?

I remembered "dupe flight active" message would come up and a same call sign in the NAS would not tag up. Apparently I am wrong ?

Going to C90 from a mid level up/down. Has the culture really gotten better there?

Does the average trainee get extensions of hours or is it you get a set amount and either certify or wash?

Any general advice or information appreciated.

https://yle.fi/a/74-20241165

The following is a bit of digression from the article linked above but actually sort of relevant.

I've seen some articles recently extolling the merits of NAV Canada & how they should be a model for the privatization of the FAA. I think it is possible for the FAA to be converted to a semi-autonomous corporation like NAV Canada but I am far more confident that the current leadership in DC is not competent to make that transition.

One of my favorite examples is to point out that all of Canada combined does 4 million operations a year while if you draw a circle with a 25 mile radius centered on Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, within that circle are 2 million operations a year of which 75% are GA flights.

And then the story above shows up.

It's a pity that virtually no-one who hasn't actually worked traffic on the system understands what we really do. We aren't just traffic cops. We are not just fire responders waiting for a fire to break out. We do failure analysis & then prevent it from occurring. When failure occurs anyway, we resolve it & prevent disaster.

We are hearing rumors that TMU is going to be bundled with Tech Ops and lose their good time in the process. Will the current TMU be grandfathered in , or at least have the option to go back to the boards?

Allegedly a memo has begun circulating in teams that what is being posted on social media could be workplace harassment and to mind your P’s and Q’s.

No coincidence this comes after Duffy accused New York area controllers of a job action and was (rightfully so) lambasted on social media.

If anyone lays eyes on this memo report back please.