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Speech

Professional Women Controllers

Thanks, Abby [Smith]. Good afternoon, and thanks to all of you for inviting me. I must tell you that Kate Lang is a tough act to follow. She’s got the program that touches everyone in the system. She’s got the program that gives away billions to make the system better. When we talk about the future of aviation, we’re talking about the things she’s putting in place today. So, you can understand why I’m a little sheepish about following a really polished presentation like that. Why couldn’t I have followed somebody like, I don’t know, Rick Ducharme? The downside of saying something like that is that Rick is on tomorrow. I’m guessing he’s going to get the last word on this one.

All kidding aside, I am pleased to be here. I’ve always said that one of the best things about this job is meeting with the people who make things go. That’s you. This afternoon, we’ll talk about where I see things headed and I’d like to hear from you with some questions.

Let’s start with where things are. Lately, I’ve been asked about what it’s like to be handling the duties of administrator. What’s it like to handle the Congressional hearings, the IG, GAO, and the press? As I recall, I think that just about the first week I took over this job, I was called to the White House to brief President Bush on how the system was working. As I was walking out the door to go up to the White House, I was a little on edge, as you might guess. And then I said to myself, “Do you remember your first nighttime carrier landing?” Well, as a matter of fact, I do, vividly. Landing on a carrier at night can be a lot like trying to find a pencil bobbing in the ocean. That first landing wasn’t all that pretty, but here I stand. So, “Which is harder:  catching the wire at night coming in at 130 knots in 15 foot seas, or talking to the President — who happens to be a pilot — about the safest period in aviation history?” It’s all about perspective.

So handling all of this is tough — what you and I go through every day — but it’s a matter of perspective. The toughest part of my day always starts first thing. Day in and day out, this is my first meeting, usually at oh-dark-thirty. I’ve got to be on my toes. Even on the weekends. Here’s a picture of my toughest challenge. [shows picture]

Welcome to my world. Yes, that’s my senior vice president for mayhem and destruction. Ben Sturgell, age 5. Ben has two speeds:  full power and … well, one speed. What Ben provides for me is a constant reminder that I’ve got to have my priorities in order. The small things, especially the small things, like Ben, matter. I’ve got to keep that in focus.

And I’m here today to make that same point to you. Small things count. As we’re seeing in the press recently, the actions of a few can have a huge effect on the entire agency. We’re here to get a job done — safety first — and it’s the things that get in the way of that mission that cause trouble. We’ve got to keep our eye on the safety ball all the time.

What’s going on in our safety inspections is a prime example. The system is set up such that the very hinge of safety relies on integrity, and by that, I mean personal integrity. The same is true in the air traffic world. As everyone in this room knows, we don’t have an inspector for every airplane. That’s just wouldn’t be practical. We depend on the maintenance facilities and the airlines’ own inspectors to check and recheck according to airworthiness directives. Our inspectors perform spot checks on the record-keeping and on the aircraft as well. But the system depends on those first line workers — airline employees — to make sure all of the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.

When that doesn’t happen — whether by willful or negligent conduct — then you have a lapse. But a lapse is not a sign that the sky is falling. Nor is it a sign that somehow, some way, the FAA’s grown cozy with the airlines.

My experience as a line pilot give me a different angle. Having been on the receiving end of many a check-ride, I can say with certainty that cozy is the last word I’d use to describe an inspector. Generally speaking, they were as tough as nails. They know the rulebook backward and forward, and their job is to make sure that you do, too.

And as far as the airlines as a whole are concerned, we just issued a $10.2 million fine. I don’t think they’re calling that cozy, either.

What I did see afterward was a regrettable display of political football — with aviation safety as the football. If the system were coming apart at the seams, it wouldn’t be the safest period in the history of aviation. By definition, those cannot be contemporaneous events. The system is not perfect, and we can’t let ourselves become complacent. We are always looking for ways to make it safer. One thing is certain:  when you hear people who should know better saying that they’re afraid to fly, well, the rest of America is not following suit. Last year, almost 800 million. We’ll pass a billion passengers by 2016.

And the attempts to slow roll funding for NextGen until “an immediate, comprehensive evaluation” is performed, those are equally shameful. Safety’s not a political football, and neither is technology. We need modernization, and as Vicki Cox is going to tell you, we need it now. Unless we have the foundation blocks in place, we’re not going to be ready for tomorrow. It’s not a difficult concept to understand. If you don’t plant when you’re supposed to, harvest time isn’t going to go well. Performance begins with preparation.

Bottom line:  the system is safe, and the numbers prove it. While we are having our challenges this year with ops errors and runway safety, the good news here is that the people in this room have driven the safety trends over the last decade in the right direction. And for that, I thank you.

I’m thankful for another reason as well. This very group has the chance to get in on the ground floor of some of the most exciting times that aviation is ever going to see. The face of this agency is changing right before our eyes. In the next 10 years, we’re going to have an almost complete repopulation of the FAA. Our look will change, and I’m looking to you to help smooth that transition.

I attended a session on the “generational puzzle” last week ago. The new generation of workers that’s coming along side us have never known a world that didn’t have www.something in it. For them, we’ve always been on the moon. They want to know what’s the big deal about getting to Mars?

More importantly, they don’t read newspapers. That’s not intended as an indictment of the educational system. They don’t read newspapers because they get their news electronically. When they’re looking for a job, they go to careerbuilder.com or monster.com. The “Help Wanted” section in Sunday’s paper? Not a chance.

And it’s because they’re used to having instant access to information — they’ve known no other way — that we really need to make sure that we ourselves are being flexible. These new folks aren’t being gruff or disrespectful. Their world view is radically different. I still prefer “How are you today?” to “Yo,” but I recognize that there’s a time and a place for both.

Help these young hires get to know you. Recognize they’re running fast — and using an MP3. For those of us who’ve been around, we’re at 33 or 45. They’re at 78. If you don’t understand what I just said, you’re younger than you think you are. Either way, generations are coming together in the workplace. They have different styles, different languages, different perspectives.

So take the time to show the new hires how they fit into the big picture. Allow them to hit the ground running. Expect them to be highly collaborative. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect.

I’m encouraging you to be flexible, to use wisdom when imparting the knowledge that you’ve gained over the years. When you’re getting involved with OJTI, help the new ones obtain focus and perspective. Tell them how you got things done. Think back to the influence on your career of those who trained you. This effort is as important, in the long run, as safety itself.

I’ve always felt that if you can teach, you can lead. And leadership is what I’m expecting of this group. It’s not going to appear in any of your position descriptions, but I’m expecting every one of you to become a mentor. For some, that’s a stretch. For others, it’s a natural fit. But there are some terrific mentors out there to follow, like Nancy K, Dawn Ingrahm, Nancy Kort. Follow their lead. They followed others, and now they’re in the place where they influence a great many people.

I notice in each of them an attention to detail — the knowledge that a minor course correction now can save lots of time on a thousand mile trip. Remember, the next generation is counting on you. I’m counting on you. We need leaders to step forward from this audience today. We need people with focus, with vision, with integrity. The work of a few does affect the many. I encourage you to be one of those. As the acting administrator, I’m telling you that unless you pitch in, unless we have your leadership, we can’t get there from here.

We need groups like PWC to be ambassadors for change — people who recognize that modernization is a good thing, that the system must evolve to better serve our customers. I see lots of stars in the making here. I’m eager to see the paths you take.