GovernmentExecutive.com

Man, this is not something you see everyday: the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and Florida Republican Rep. John Mica in agreement! I kid, partially, although during Congressional hearings on the impact of the pay and work rules former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey imposed on the controllers, I think it would be fair to say that Mica was distinctly unsympathetic to the controllers' position. But when it comes to keeping airports in Florida safe, Mica and NATCA are on the same page.

In this case, they're teaming along with a bunch of other Florida lawmakers up to ask Hank Krakowski, who runs the Air Traffic Organization, to pause deconsolidation of air traffic control facilities in Orlando. Currently, Orlando controllers can alternate between working in the airport's air traffic control tower and the terminal radar approach control (TRACON). They say that's a good thing because controllers learn how both tasks work, so they operate with a good understanding of what their coworkers are up to, and because more controllers have the skills to work both places, so they can fill in for each other more easily if someone calls in sick or can't get to work.

The FAA's already shut down plans to do similar de-consolidations in Miami and Philadelphia. The lawmakers want the agency to consider alternate plans, given that they say de-consolidation will make scheduling less flexible by creating siloed workforces for the tower and TRACON, will require another layer of management, and eliminates valuable cross-training. Given those concerns, they say, there's no reason to rush de-conosolidation through.