As we enter Fall season, many activities and observances occur during this month. September highlights National Hispanic Heritage Month, Suicide Prevention Month, Labor Day, and Constitution Day, among many others. Constitution Day recognizes the signing of our U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. This is integral to our cultural heritage, recognizing our freedoms, rights, and liberties. It promotes the value of the American experiment and the protections that this document provides us. There is even a one-hour course in eLMS on the Constitution (#1901103000) in which every American stands to benefit. Please take the time to realize this significant document and better appreciate our cherished freedoms, especially since this year is a presidential election.
This month, many of us participated in our quarterly Safety Stand Down, which reviewed the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), construction safety rules, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, hazard-free work zones, and human factors that can cause accidents. These briefings help keep us in a continual state of improvement regarding the safety of our workplace.
Bob Molden, the new FAA Academy Director, hosted an outdoor Academy Open House (a grill and greet) complete with a free hot dog lunch to help him meet many of the employees in his organization. All had a great time.
The Academy has much to be proud of as we close out the fiscal year. The Academy was a critical part of the Agency’s team focused on hiring 1,800 new Air Traffic Controller students this past fiscal year. The team consisted of AHR, AFN, AVS, ATO, and ASH employees – and because of the Academy’s creative scheduling and expansion efforts, the team was able to exceed the requirement with 1,811 students. Of the 1,800 requirement, 300 experienced controller were to be hired and 1,500 no experience candidates were to be trained at the Academy. However, the Academy exceeded expectations with 1,584 students! And even more impressive, the Academy now has a schedule to train 2,214 students in FY25, well above the Agency overall hiring goal of 2,000. The FAA Academy has never missed an agency target for training new hire ATC students and does not have a capacity constraint to meet the agency’s needs in the coming years. Congratulations to the entire Academy team!
Despite the hot temperatures, the Aeronautical Center hosted several tours this month, one for the Office of Management and Budget, which helped the visitors physically see where and how some of the federal budget is spent. Another tour was for the National Air Grant Fellows Tour, a distinguished group of graduate-level individuals who hold positions in our executive and legislative branches, serving as crucial liaisons between Congress and the FAA.
Thanks to an $11K grant from the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, the Aeronautical Center and the True Sky Foundation have plans to host the 19th Annual Aviation Career Education (ACE) Camp in 2025. We are excited about this partnership and opportunity as we continue to grow our STEM outreach program.
Special thanks to everyone who recently took the "Top Workplace Survey". We had a participation rate of 40%, which makes us eligible for this prestigious award. Thanks for taking the time to share your honest feedback and opinions, as this is how we can grow and improve.
I also had the opportunity to attend the National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees’ Annual Training Conference in Nevada. It was a great conference that showcased members from across the U.S., underscoring the organization’s commitment to fostering inclusivity within the FAA.
The Feds Feeds Families campaign is underway until September 30th. Please donate some cans of food and drop them off in one of our designated donation boxes across the Center. Every little bit helps to ensure that people have access to the food they need. Another FAA volunteer opportunity at the Regional Food Bank is available on September 12th from 6:30 -8:30 pm. It’s a fun event to do with your family, friends, and co-workers while helping members of our community who are food insecure. Thanks for all you do to improve our work environment and community.
Kindly,
Michelle Coppedge
Director, Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
