ATCA Bulletin #1 - 2016

Air Traffic Control Association

No. 1, 2016

www.atca.org

ATCA Talks UAS Registration With Earl Lawrence, Director of UAS Integration at the FAA

IN THIS ISSUE: »» Cyber Security Day 2016 Takeaways »» Meet Abigail Glenn-Chase, ATCA’s new Director of Communications »» Aviation History Corner »» And more!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

No. 1, 2016

By Peter F. Dumont, President & CEO, Air Traffic Control Association

1101 King Street, Suite 300 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-299-2430 Fax: 703-299-2437 info@atca.org www.atca.org

2016 Resolution – Move as Fast as Technology

I

ended 2015 the excited new owner of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV ) and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) number issued on the first day the FAA rolled out the new unmanned aerial system (UAS) registration process.

Kudos to me and the other 200,000-plus UAV owners now registered with the federal government. Totals are still unofficial, but projected sales of UAVs were estimated to be in the 700,000 range this holiday season. The FAA’s latest UAS registration process covers small UAVs, flying under 400 ft. However, the FAA is also focused on large UAVs. As you will see in this month’s Bulletin, we have an

Published for

President & CEO: Peter F. Dumont

Director, Communications: Abigail Glenn-Chase Writer/Editor: Kristen Knott

interview with Earl Lawrence, Director of UAS Integration at the FAA. The FAA is also struggling to keep up with the best practices on cyber security protection. ATCA hosted its fifth annual Aviation Cyber Security Day this month, with speakers from government and industry sharing their insights on the best ways to secure our air traffic systems. According to several speakers, one advantage we have is that some of our systems are so old that no one uses the computer language anymore, dissuading many hackers from targeting the systems. This is

Formed in 1956 as a non-profit, professional membership association, ATCA represents the interests of all professionals in the air traffic control industry. Dedicated to the advancement of professionalism and technology of air traffic control, ATCA has grown to represent several thousand individuals and organizations managing and providing ATC services and equipment around the world.

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Upcoming Events March 8–10, 2016

World ATM Congress IFEMA, Feria de Madrid Madrid, Spain

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 1, 2016

May 17–19, 2016

ATCA Technical Symposium Atlantic City, NJ

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors of the editorial articles contained in this publication are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of ATCA. Printed in Canada.

Please recycle where facilities exist.

Cover photo: Alexander Kolomietz/Shutterstock.com Stock photography provided by Shutterstock.com

referred to as “security through antiquity.” Not exactly something to celebrate.

One of the other themes of the Cyber Security Day was communication between FAA offices – air traffic, the Chief Information Officer (CIO), safety, and management organizations. The CIO has long held primary responsibility for data security, but it is imperative, as our systems become more and more integrated, that every program share concern and responsibility for cyber security within the National Airspace System.

The FAA Cyber Security Committee (CSC) panel helped show progress in this endeavor by discussing their team approach to maintaining cyber security for the agency as a whole.

In addition to our panels, ATCA shared a short white paper, written by ATCA’s own cyber security committee, containing recommendations on combating cyber threats. The committee will write three more white papers moving forward.

The ATCA Cyber Security Committee

– with Steve Carver serving as chair and Paul Planzer as staff liaison – was born out of our members’ growing need for ATCA to assume an even more active role. As a result of a very successful Aviation Cyber Security Day, additional ATCA members requested to join the committee. We will soon brief top FAA officials on the committee’s findings to date, allowing us to sharpen the focus of the next series of white papers.

One of ATCA’s greatest strengths is our members’ willingness to join forces, articulate best practices, and share information that improves the world of air traffic. This collaborative environment is so important when discussing cyber security in particular because threats are changing rapidly, and, traditionally, organizations’ experience with data security breaches are closely held company secrets, so closely held that even successful threat mitigation is not shared with other industry or governmental partners.

Specific ideas at the Cyber Security

Day included applying a risk management approach to cyber security; focusing on employee training including hardening passwords and protocols; watching for user dwell time to see who is roaming around in the data system; and finally, because even perimeter security will not protect you from all threats, an aggressive, rapidly deployed identification and recovery plan is just as important.

We are all trying to move as fast as technology, but that may be impossible.

A couple speakers at Cyber Security Day said there are two kinds of companies – those who have had a cyber security breach and those who are unaware they’ve had a breach. This is why, at the end of every ATCA Aviation Cyber Security Day, I’m a little more aware and, honestly, a little more afraid. I will try to keep up with technology in 2016, but I’m bound to be a bit behind. Luckily, the increased collaboration efforts made evident at the Cyber Day event bring me some peace of mind.

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 1, 2016

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ATCA Talks UAS Registration with Earl Lawrence, Director of UAS Integration at the FAA

By Kristen Knott, ATCA Writer and Editor

P

icture this: you’re tasked with managing and developing a system to catalog the hundreds of thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) expected to be gifted this past holiday season. Oh, and you have 60 days to complete this and it will be covered by most major media outlets. If you’re Earl Lawrence, this has been your reality.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s director of unmanned aerial system (UAS) integration, with the leadership and hard work of a cross-Agency team, implemented the first rule of its kind last month. As of December 21, 2015, anyone who owns a small, unmanned aircraft of weight .55 – 55 lbs. must register with the UAS registry before they fly outdoors. The first registration deadline for people who previously owned and operated their UAS is February 19, 2016. So far, nearly 300,000 UAVs, or drones, have been registered with the new process.

“It’s been fun to watch the coverage,” said Lawrence. “I really didn’t have an expectation because it’s all so new; I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many people have registered. Some of the skeptics were shocked that it works and it’s simple.”

While Earl adds that the vast majority of the feedback has been positive, there have been a few naysayers, as is the case with any new requirement. “The main negative impact is that we didn’t have the legal authority and we’re getting sued for it,” said Lawrence. Specifically, he’s referring to the Section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which stated that the FAA will not pass an additional rule on model aircraft – aircraft, not UAS. “We are complying with that law. This is not a new requirement. We wrote something to ensure we could stay in compliance with the law that requires registration and would be relieving for small UAS operators.”

With hundreds of thousands of UAVs expected to infiltrate the National Airspace System (NAS) this winter, it was clear a process needed to be put in place as quickly as possible. But first, the FAA sought some advice from key government, industry, and commercial entities on recommendations for shaping the impending registration process. The UAS Registration Task Force was formed

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and met in early November 2015 with David Vos of Google[X] at the helm. Their findings were published in a recommendations report at the end of November.

“We had a good cross-section of folks representing a wide variety of interests of industry. There were differing views on the task force, but because there was consensus on the recommendation, it was easier to make a rule,” said Lawrence. “[Regarding weight and other requirements] the focus became the risk of an individual being injured by UAS; it was centered around the physics of that and existing medical studies defining injury and fatal energy levels. We didn’t have a specific study or a lot of data to point to, but what’s the likelihood of having a fatality?”

Another aspect considered in defining registration requirements was what is included when purchasing a standard UAS in a store. “I literally sent my staff to Toys“R”Us to see what was out that there for $100 and less, you were unable to find one of those new gyrocopters over the weight [requirement] for less than $100. It was the decision of the task force, to choose one weight as requirement. How do we keep it for average consumer easy?”

So, what’s next for UAS registration?

While the current rule targets hobbyists, the FAA next plans to tackle a process for commercial UAS operators, which could be announced as soon as this summer. “We don’t know how many UAS have been sold. No one has released the actual sales numbers,” said Lawrence.

In addition, FAA’s IT team is also developing an Application Program Interface to use in conjunction with the new online registration process so that you can register your UAS as it’s purchased.

For example, Amazon would ask if you want to register the UAS while you are ordering it, and the FAA would then send you a certificate to confirm registration, adds Lawrence.

In the meantime, Earl hopes everyone can spread the word about the FAA’s new online UAS Registration process. “It’s a friends and family campaign.”

For more information about UAS Registration, visit www.faa. gov/uas/registration/.

“It’s been fun to watch the coverage. I really didn’t have an expectation because it’s all so new; I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many people have registered.”

Alexander Kolomietz/Shutterstock.com

– Earl Lawrence, Director of UAS Integration, Federal Aviation Administration

ATCA Bulletin | No. 1, 2016

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ATCA’s Aviation Cyber Security Day Takeaways

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he message at ATCA’s fifth Aviation Cyber Security Day on January 12 was clear: cyber security affects all of us, and we are in this together. That sentiment was reiterated again and again throughout the event’s keynote and three panels.

The speakers – including leaders from industry, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Cybersecurity Steering Committee, and the Aviation Information Sharing and Analysis Center (A-ISAC) – all agreed: the time to protect your organization is now, and collaboration is key to the health of your network.

“Cyber security is a game. You can change the rules through prevention, but you can never stop the game.”

– Bill Long, L-3 Communications (First from the right, panel 1)

“What occurs within one domain of the FAA can impact another, increasingly as we become more interconnected and NextGen introduces new technology.”

– Melanie Boteler, FAA CISO and Chair of the FAA Cybersecurity Steering Committee (Panel 2)

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Continued on page 6

Stefano Camiccio/Shutterstock.com

Peter F. Dumont, President & CEO of ATCA

TRAFFIC JAM AHEAD. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

Transforming the air traffic management (ATM) system is essential for improving safety, efficiency and the environment around the globe.

Boeing is fully committed and uniquely qualified to help make ATM transformation a reality. It’s the right time and Boeing is the right partner.

“My call to action is hopefully to expose one of you – hopefully many – to ask the question, ‘why?’ Why don’t you think the system is secure? Don’t be shy. Challenge all the claims that (a breach) impossible. Engage with smart people inside and outside the company to help. Demand increased focus. You get a new life every single morning. Take that opportunity.”

– Stuart McClure, Cylance, Inc., in his keynote address to the audience

Steve Carver, Chair, ATCA Cyber Security Committee

“We’re so dependent on GPS (Global Positioning System), but the potential to jam GPS is quite high.

Who’s looking out for your organization? You need to ask that. Be the advocate for your system.”

– Frank Frisbie, Double F Consulting (Panel 3)

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 1, 2016

Make the future of ATM your business.

BROADEN YOUR

HORIZONS

WorldATMCongress.org

A Moment in Aviation History On January 1, 1976…

Frannyanne/Shutterstock.com

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new air traffic control (ATC) handbook, representing a consolidation of two formerly separate manuals – one on terminal and the other on en route ATC. To improve controller-pilot communications, on April 26, 1976, the FAA announced publication of a new ATC glossary four times the length of that previously included in the Airmans Information Manual. The National Transportation Safety Board had recommended issuance of such a glossary after a crash at Berryville, Va.

Meet ATCA’s New Director of Communications

Abigail Glenn-Chase

A

TCA welcomes its new Director of Communications, Abigail GlennChase! Abigail has spent the last five years working in the executive office at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) where she focused on programming, communications, and policy. For several years prior to NATCA, she worked in academic publishing and fundraising, but left to pursue a lifelong interest in aviation. Abigail graduated with a degree in English literature from American University in Washington, D.C., where she wrote her thesis on 17th century radical women writers. When she’s not at work, Abigail enjoys trying to keep up with her filmmaker/musician husband, Omar, their feisty 18-month-old son, Owen, and a very demanding Australian Shepherd named Monty.

They live in Silver Spring, Md.

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 1, 2016

The ATCA Bulletin (ISSN 0402-1977) is published monthly by the Air Traffic Control Association.

Periodical postage paid at Alexandria, VA. $5.00 of annual dues are allocated for the publication of the ATCA Bulletin.

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Staff Marion Brophy, Communications Manager Ken Carlisle, Director, Meetings and Expositions Theresa Clair, Associate Director, Meetings and Expositions Abigail Glenn-Chase, Director, Communications Ashley Haskins, Office Manager Kristen Knott, Writer and Editor Christine Oster, Chief Financial Officer Paul Planzer, Manager, ATC Programs Rugger Smith, International Accounts Sandra Strickland, Events and Exhibits Coordinator Ashley Swearingen, Press and Marketing Manager Tim Wagner, Membership Manager

1101 King Street Suite 300 Alexandria, VA  22314

Officers and Board of Directors Chairman, Neil Planzer Chairman-Elect, Charles Keegan President & CEO, Peter F. Dumont Treasurer, Rachel Jackson East Area Director, Susan Chodakewitz Pacific Area, Asia, Australia Director, Peter Fiegehen South Central Area Director, William Cotton Northeast Area Director, Mike Ball Southeast Area Director, Jack McAuley North Central Area Director, Bill Ellis West Area Director and Secretary, Chip Meserole Canada, Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico Area Director, Rudy Kellar Europe, Africa, Middle East Area Director, Jonathan Astill Director at Large, Rick Day Director at Large, Vinny Capezzuto Director at Large, Michael Headley