Monday, June 8, 2009

Strike one

So much for Randy Babbitt. Our new administrator (notice the small 'a' ) has shown that he is no more or less the political hack than Marion Blakey or Bobby Sturgell.

When presented with a clear case, along with over 3200 emails from concerned stakeholders and 160 letters from Congressional representatives, Randy Babbitt has failed to stop the split of Memphis tower/TRACON.

In a meeting with NATCA president Pat Forrey, Randy Babbbitt refused to delay the split in order to make a real effort to determine whether or not it was warranted.

The Administrator was non-committal in our discussion to either stop the split or go forward, but he did state he understood the issue and got the message on its importance to the Union.


Nope. If he understood the issue and got the message, he would not have chosen inaction to let the split go ahead with his implicit approval.

This is a dark day for aviation safety and aviation professionals.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

And what would you expect from an air carrier pilot? Can we ever have a controller in charge of this agency? For once someone who understands ATC. My father has flown for 50 years and retired from Flight standards after 30 years, he still doesn't understand the ATC system. We need to educate the flying public, as well as John Q. Public.

Angry Fokker

Anonymous said...

you will all regret running bobby out of town, he was the best thing that ever happened to the agency. you reap what you sow

JurassicBark said...

Bobby? As in Sturgell? He was a disaster for the aviation community, even worse than Blakey. At least she had her own evil agenda. Sturgell was simply worthless.

Anonymous said...

ba-ba-ba-babbitt needs some more e-mail folks.
Tell him what's wrong with his FAA!
He's in charge now, the bu-bu-bu-buck stops with him!

Anonymous said...

Raise money for NEXGEN, send Johnson, Day, Deusche, and Ventris on a countrywide facility tour, with a dunk tank! I'd pay a dollar to see that!

Anonymous said...

"This is a dark day for aviation safety"

You are correct. If they do this in MEM, the next thing you know THEY will try it at LAX, DFW, ATL, or maybe even ORD. This has to be stopped now before it effects the busier facilities.

JurassicBark said...


You are correct. If they do this in MEM, the next thing you know THEY will try it at LAX, DFW, ATL, or maybe even ORD. This has to be stopped now before it effects the busier facilities.


You sir, and I use the them loosely, are the root of the problem. Please quit or retire directly to fix this mess you got us into.

jtormey3 said...

To "Anonymous June 8, 2009 1:00 PM", a/k/a "Boy Jana" -

What are you, Bobby Sturgell's new CELLMATE?

John J. Tormey III, Esq.
Quiet Rockland

Anonymous said...

"THEY will try it at LAX, DFW, ATL, or maybe even ORD." Um, I think they've already split the TRACONS off from those towers. SCT, D10, A80, C90.

JurassicBark said...

That is correct.

That management type is attempting to use that as an excuse to rush through all of these splits without benefit of planning or evaluation.