Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) stepped up its call for the FAA to fully staff air traffic control (ATC) facilities, citing a recent Transportation Inspector General Report that found that the agency lacks a plan to address shortages.
The Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s (DOT OIG)&nbsp;report, “<a href="https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FAA%20Controller%20Staffing%20and%20Training%20at%20Critical%20Facilities%20Final%20Report-06-21-23.pdf">FAA Faces Controller Staffing Challenges as Air Traffic Operations Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels at Critical Facilities</a>,” found that “the lack of fully certified controllers, operational supervisors, and traffic management coordinators pose a potential risk to air traffic operations.” DOT found that managers it interviewed at 16 of 17 facilities felt their locations were not adequately staffed. Many controllers have been working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover shortages. It further said the FAA has made “limited efforts” to ensure adequate controller staffing&nbsp;and that it lacks a plan to address the issues.&nbsp;
“The Agency also has yet to implement a standardized scheduling tool to optimize controller scheduling practices at these facilities, and FAA officials disagree on how to account for trainees when determining staffing numbers," the DOT OIG added.
NATCA maintained the report echoed what it has been saying for years. “There are currently 1,200 fewer fully certified controllers today compared to 10 years ago,” said NATCA president Rich Santa. “FAA’s flawed staffing model and inconsistent hiring have resulted in new hires not keeping pace with attrition over the past decade. The status quo is no longer sustainable.”
The FAA’s Air Traffic Organization partnered with NATCA to collaboratively determine the number of fully certified controllers (CPCs) needed to meet facility operational, statutory, and contractual requirements. The Collaborative Resource Workgroup (CRWG) found that 14,335 CPCs are required to meet all the FAA’s requirements, compared with the 12,062 that FAA’s model suggests. NATCA was pleased that the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-06-09/house-releases-sweeping-faa-reauthorization-package" target="_blank">House FAA bill</a> would require the FAA to base its staffing targets on the CRWG findings. “Considering the DOT OIG’s report, FAA should do so without the need for congressional intervention and Congress should not require further study of the issue,” Santa said.

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

Transportation Watchdog Finds Planning Lacking To Address ATC Staffing Shortages

NATCA is calling on the FAA to take action to address ATC staffing shortfall, noting latest DOT IG report finds a lack of planning on the issue.

DOT IG Finds Planning Lacking To Address ATC Staffing 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

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Annual flight volumes in the ECAC states will pass 11 million in 2025

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News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Climb and descend via clearances still tripping up pilots

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