Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

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Against the Wind
Glossary
AAS — Advanced Automation System: Proposed
modernization of the air traffic control system
under development during the 1980s. FAA Administrator
David Hinson canceled most of the
program in 1994, citing delays, multibillion-dollar
cost overruns, and flawed software.
AATCC — American Air Traffic Controllers Council:
Proposed labor organization formed by the American
Federation of Government Employees (see
AFGE) in 1984.
Academy — FAA training facility at the Mike Monroney
Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City.
AFGE — American Federation of Government Employees:
Labor organization founded in 1932
representing some 600,000 federal and District of
Columbia workers nationwide and overseas.
AFL-CIO — American Federation of Labor – Congress
of Industrial Organizations: Association of unions
representing more than 13 million workers.
Agency — Common term for the Federal Aviation
Administration (see FAA).
ALPA — Air Line Pilots Association: Labor organization
founded in 1931 representing 66,000 airline
pilots at forty-three U.S. and Canadian airlines.
ARTS — Automated Radar Terminal System: Computerized
system used in conjunction with airport
surveillance radar that was first installed at Atlanta
Hartsfield Airport in 1965. A system called STARS
is being deployed to replace ARTS.
ATA — Air Transport Association: Trade group
formed in 1936 representing twenty-two domestic
airlines and four international carriers.
ATCA — Air Traffic Control Association: Nonprofit,
professional organization formed in 1956 to address
air traffic control and aviation infrastructure
issues.
ATCSCC — Air Traffic Control System Command
Center: The FAA manages the flow of air traffic
within the continental United States from this
facility in Herndon, Virginia.
BGM — Binghamton (New York) Airport
C90 — Chicago TRACON
CAA — Civil Aeronautics Administration: Renamed
from the Civil Aeronautics Authority in 1940, this
Commerce Department agency was responsible
for operating air traffic control services as well as
implementing and enforcing aviation regulations.
Center — Air traffic control facility responsible for
separating aircraft in all controlled airspace that
has not been delegated to a tower or TRACON,
generally but not exclusively between 14,000 and
60,000 feet. The FAA operates twenty-one centers
in the United States.
CERAP — Combined Center/Approach control facility:
The FAA operates three CERAPs in Guam,
Hawaii, and Puerto Rico (now referred to as Combined
Control Facilities, or CCFs).
Chapter 71 — A section of Title 5 of the United States
Code granting federal workers the right to union
representation and collective bargaining.
Choirboys — Group of activist PATCO controllers
who were selected in the late 1970s to help ensure
a successful vote in the event of a strike.
CLE — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Control tower — See Tower
CPC — Certified Professional Controller: Journeymen
controllers qualified to work at every operating position
within their areas of specialization (formerly
known as an FPL).
DAL — Dallas Love Field
DCA — Washington National Airport
DFW — Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Deal — Colloquial term for an operational error, an
event that results in the loss of required separation
between aircraft.
Developmental — Controller who has not been certified
as a journeyman. They are also known as
Certified Professional Controllers in Training, or
CPC-Its.
“D-side” — Data-side: A control position in an en
route center. This position is responsible for maintaining
the data associated with air traffic control
and assists the radar controller position (see “Rside”)
with coordination and communication between
other air traffic controllers and facilities.
DSR — Display System Replacement: Digital radar
display installed in en route centers during the
late 1990s.
En Route Center — See Center
EWB — New Bedford (Massachusetts) Airport
FAA — Federal Aviation Administration: Transportation
Department agency created in 1958 to replace
the Civil Aeronautics Administration (see CAA). It
is responsible for operating the nation’s air traffic
control system, implementing and enforcing aviation
regulations, and promoting air travel.
FAB — Facility Advisory Board: Worker-management
committees formed by the FAA in early 1982 to
help address airspace and procedural issues and
improve employee morale.
FAM — Familiarization trip: Enables controllers to
observe pilots from the cockpit jump seat.
FAY — Fayetteville (Arkansas) Airport
FLL — Fort Lauderdale (Florida) International Airport
FLRA — Federal Labor Relations Authority: Indepen-