"The core idea -- automation capabilities that are so robust that they would increase productivity levels so you could reduce controllers -- isn't something that is done at the flick of a switch at midnight," the NBAA's Steve Brown, senior vice president of operations, told B&CA in answer to why it takes so long to change FAA ATC infrastructure. From 1998 to 2004, Brown oversaw the entire ATC system prior to his retirement from the FAA.

B&CA: What is NATCA's position on the Next Generation Air Transportation System? Do you think it's a sound concept, and if not, why not? Church: We are not involved in either the JPDO or NGATS. The FAA has eliminated collaboration of any kind with controllers. They sent all of our technical experts home to their control facilities, including the one who was our JPDO liaison. This is the FAA's choice for us not to be involved in the JPDO. B&CA: What is your position on automation in general?

Yesterday's "navigation fixes" gave way to today's "waypoints," all of which helped define our "course." In the ATC system of the future -- NGATS -- we will be filing for "trajectories."