Ah the dreaded 4 hours a day working airplanes. I thought we burned all those documents years ago....ONLY KIDDING!
I never claimed to be smart enough to develop a formula that would fit all 300 facilities and the wide range of traffic counts, traffic mix, prevailing weather, terrain, airport layout and dare I say age of the workforce. I would speculate that the workforce gets nervous when a PdD someplace comes up with a plan that fits all. In my old age, it seems that the magic words now-a-days is "using AI". Must be good if you're using AI.. " My point is not whether it's good, its the need to get acceptance by the controllers. My impression is that NATCA has been a reasonably professional outfit up to now. Perhaps because Doug is a very good spokesman. However I note an increasing number of bits on Facebook and other places that controllers are under paid. Sounds familiar..from back in the good old days.I don't know if the current bunch have the necessary bit of militancy as their PATCO ancestors (after we invented that name we found it was a lawn fertilizer company on Long Island). We blamed it on the War in Vietnam back then. But it is possible that not including NATCA in the development of new standards would force the issue. Simply put, announcing that everybody's going to work another hour a shift on position and then cut 2000 from the proposed hiring ain't the best way to do it. Cheers Jim Loos On Mon, May 18, 2026 at 9:39 PM ERIC Smith via Mifnet < [email protected]> wrote: > Reference recent DCA midair and the effect of fewer controllers. > > Eric > > On Monday, May 18, 2026 at 03:59:14 AM MST, RWM--- via Mifnet < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > Tom, > > According to one large airline’s dispatcher and a lengthy exchange on > LinkedIn, once flight-planned and launched, they rarely reroute without a > specific request from the flight deck. > > They have no capability to do other than locally affect one or two > flights, and without consideration of other dispatchers’ flights. > > Even using available IROPS tools, they have no system optimization > capability. The tools create a starting point, and focus on flight planning > and release, not enroute sequencing and spacing using evolving resource > status and consistent business rules. > > Continuous system optimization of 4D aircraft trajectories using real-time > resource information is the missing magic. > > - Bob > > > > On May 18, 2026, at 01:14, Tom Ronell via Mifnet <[email protected]> > wrote: > >  > > "The solution is to incentivize (or mandate) airlines to real-time manage > their own day-of-flight 4D trajectories, system optimize aircraft flow, > sequencing and spacing to their own business rules, using their own > realtime information about their own resource statuses," > > > What do these buildings full of meteorologists, computers and dispatchers > who file flight plans and flight follow do? > > TR > > ------------------------------ > > *From: *RWM--- via Mifnet <[email protected]> > *To: *[email protected] > *CC: *[email protected] <[email protected]> > *Date: *2026-05-18T00:56:41Z > *Subject: *[Mifnet 🛰 76202] Re: FAA wants to reduce the number of > required air traffic controllers > > Short version… if anyone thinks that is a good idea, now or in the future. > > > The root cause problem and opportunity to improve ‘ATC’ system performance > and airport throughput, effectively expanding capacity, is by *preventing > *unmanaged, self-induced congestion, rather than forcing ATC to *fix* > unmanaged, > self-induced congestion, requiring more controllers to issue vectors, > reroutes, and delays to more flights. > > > > Addressing the root cause of random congestion reduces the need for ATC > intervention, infrastructure, and controller workload, while capturing and > allowing utilization of latent system capacity. Also improves customer, > investor, employee and national economic outcomes. > > > > The solution is for FAA to incentivize (or mandate) airlines to real-time > manage their own day-of-flight 4D trajectories, system optimize aircraft > flows, sequencing and spacing to their own business rules, using their own > realtime information about their own resource statuses, which has been > possible for decades. > > > Allow ATC to real-time broker multiple carrier system optima to generate a > global system optimum, passing edited carrier optima back for ACARS > communication to flight decks. Possible and commercialized for more than a > decade. > > > > If these facilities had never been demonstrated and independently > validated as producing meaningful on-time improvements and flying time > (capital and operating expense) reduction benefits — including in > FAA-funded, brokered multi-carrier trials — one might say ‘pie in the sky, > computationally unscalable’. The reality is the facilities are commercially > available, and are on the shelf for rapid deployment. > > > > Unfortunately, based on the published documentation as well as statements > by FAA/DOT, the vaunted $30+ billion BNATCS addresses none of this. > > > Ten years and way more than $30 billion from now, nothing will have > changed except for more flights, more delays, the need for more controller > intervention, and airlines will still be fixated on a familiar topic, more > finger-pointing. > > > - Bob Mann > > > > On May 17, 2026, at 20:35, Robert Mark via Mifnet <[email protected]> > wrote: > >  > I'm curious what you think about the FAA's new move to reduce overtime. > Interesting timing, no? > > Rob Mark > FAA cuts target for air traffic control staffing > > https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/faa-cuts-target-air-traffic-control-staffing-2026-05-15/ > > > > > Rob Mark, *MRAeS*, & CEO, *CommAvia* <http://www.commavia.com>, *Creators > of leading-edge media for the aviation industry.* > 847-644-1575 (mobile) > 2400 Grant Street > Evanston, IL 60201 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the > effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: > https://wardell.us/url/mifbit > > All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: > > 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a > privilege--not a right. > 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the > author. > 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. > 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. > 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other > Mifnet members. > > * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: > https://www.mifnet.com/ > > * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=leave > > * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: > [email protected] > > * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: > [email protected] > > * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all > list traffic into 1-3 > messages daily. See instructions at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=help > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the > effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: > https://wardell.us/url/mifbit > > All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: > > 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a > privilege--not a right. > 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the > author. > 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. > 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. > 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other > Mifnet members. > > * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: > https://www.mifnet.com/ > > * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=leave > > * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: > [email protected] > > * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: > [email protected] > > * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all > list traffic into 1-3 > messages daily. See instructions at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=help > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the > effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: > https://wardell.us/url/mifbit > > All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: > > 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a > privilege--not a right. > 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the > author. > 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. > 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. > 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other > Mifnet members. > > * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: > https://www.mifnet.com/ > > * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=leave > > * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: > [email protected] > > * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: > [email protected] > > * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all > list traffic into 1-3 > messages daily. See instructions at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=help > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the > effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: > https://wardell.us/url/mifbit > > All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: > > 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a > privilege--not a right. > 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the > author. > 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. > 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. > 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other > Mifnet members. > > * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: > https://www.mifnet.com/ > > * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=leave > > * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: > [email protected] > > * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: > [email protected] > > * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all > list traffic into 1-3 > messages daily. See instructions at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=help > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > -- Cheers Jim Loos
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