PASS Update on Chicago Center

Details: Published: September 30, 2014

Today, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), the union representing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technical employees, is sharing updated information related to the state of air traffic operations in the Chicago area following the incident on Friday when a contract employee deliberately set a fire in the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZAU ARTCC) telecom room, causing significant damage to Federal Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) equipment and disrupting service. The damage resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights at O’Hare International Airport and Midway Airport.

Air traffic is steadily increasing in the area thanks to the focused efforts of the FAA and its employees. In the immediate aftermath of the event on Friday, technicians represented by PASS dropped everything in order to reestablish essential communications and begin the long process of restoring air traffic control operations at the Center. “I applaud the FAA for their efforts to bring the system up as quickly as possible,” said PASS National President Mike Perrone. “I also want to emphasize the important work of our members on the scene. These individuals dropped everything in order to help with restoration efforts. One PASS member, after seeing the story on the local news, immediately cancelled a trip because he knew he was going to be needed. These employees are truly doing everything possible to give air traffic the communications and equipment needed to keep the system running.”

FAA technicians in Chicago worked around the clock in order to permit the Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control facility (C90 TRACON) to assume responsibility for some of the air traffic functions for the ZAU ARTCC. To accomplish this, PASS-represented employees worked to immediately establish four new voice call lines to provide communications with four first-tier centers in the region, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Cleveland. In addition, FAA technicians have started cable work, configuration and installation of replacement communications equipment at the ARTCC.

In response to the event in Chicago, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta ordered a 30-day review of safety and security at agency facilities. “PASS is in full support of this effort,” said Perrone. “We stand by ready to assist in any way in order to ensure the safe operation of the National Airspace System today and in the future. For PASS and our members, a safe and efficient aviation system is our number one priority.”

For more information or questions, please contact Jessica Cigich at 202.293.7277 ext. 117 or 202.701.4725.

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For 37 years, PASS has represented more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit the PASS website at www.passnational.org.