I am sure that has been on everyone's minds. Ok, maybe not exactly but I know I haven't been around much and I want to let everyone know what is going on here at atoleadingedge.

First, I took some much needed time off at the holidays and I highly recommend it to anyone considering a vacation. It will cure what ails you!

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The classic fall road trip usually involves football, festivals, or foliage. In my case, it involves the FAA. For a variety of reasons I have been traveling to a variety of places. I have noticed something consistent with them all. Ever so slightly, I am noticing people starting to relax just a little. Not wholesale changes but small, incremental modifications of attitude and behavior.

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“Weather” or not you are aware, big changes on aviation weather forecasting may occur impacting not only the Air Route Traffic Control Centers) ARTCCs and Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities) TRACONs, but could have a significant impact on the way air traffic is handled in the near future, and for the “next generations” to follow.

Following the tragic crash of Southern Airways flight 242 on April 4, 1977, the NTSB recommended the FAA develop rules and procedures for the timely dissemination by air traffic controllers of all available severe weather information to inbound and outbound flight crews in the terminal area. The final outcome was creating a Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) at each of the 21 ARTCCs.

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On first glance, they are opposed in their goals. A true safety culture requires a dedication to reporting and identifying issues in the system. Proximity Events look like just another way to muddy the waters. I get that. However, I think there is more to the story than what those thoughts capture.

One of the underlying tenants of a safety culture is that people have to be unafraid to report issues. They have to be able to report without fear of reprisal and with the knowledge that the focus will be on mitigating the risk going forward and not on assigning the blame looking back. Are we there yet? I think it is safe to say, no. Are we on the way? I truly believe we are.

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Well, I debated for a week about what, if anything, I should say about our recent events in New York. Obviously, anything of substance around the event will not be showing up here for two very good reasons...first, I don't know anything and second, even if I did I couldn't talk about it.

So instead, I'll keep it short and to the point...learn. Everyone of us should ask ourselves what we can do better. Forget for a moment about all the things that differentiate us and focus on what we all serve...our mission for the public of the United States.