The FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (Natca) earlier this week signed an agreement to create an Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), which is designed to “foster a voluntary, cooperative, non-punitive environment for the open reporting of safety-of-flight concerns by employees of the FAA.” Under the ATSAP, all parties will have access to valuable safety information, which will be analyzed to develop skill enhancement or system corrective action to help solve safety issues. The agreement is for 18 months and will begin at several targeted facilities. Both sides intend the program to continue, if a comprehensive review and evaluation determines that it is successful. FAA Air Traffic Organization COO Hank Krakowski, speaking yesterday at Natca’s “Communicating for Safety” conference in Chicago, promised that the FAA would carry through on the letter and spirit of the agreement, saying that it is “one area where I’ll absolutely not be reluctant to pull rank.”