NATCA

NATCA, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, is a labour union and aviation safety organisation in the United States that represents nearly 20,000 air traffic controllers, engineers and other aviation safety-related professionals. Certified in 1987 by the Federal Labor Relations Authority, it is a membership-owned organisation headquartered at 1325 Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington, DC. Its mission is to advance the status, professionalism and working conditions of air traffic controllers and other aviation safety employees through collective bargaining and political activity, while heading efforts to improve, modernise and preserve the safety of the National Airspace System.

Programmes and events

• Communicating For Safety, the union's safety conference, where the Archie League Medal of Safety Awards honour controllers for outstanding flight assists; in 2026 Rachel Bremer, Tyler Flanum, Andrew Hill and Ryan Jones also received the President's Award
• Foundations of Professionalism training, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) support, pilot-controller communications resources and the Activism and Training Expo (ATX)
• A code of the air traffic controller setting out members' commitment to safety, excellence and public trust, and a directory of 884 aviation acronyms used by safety professionals
• Member benefits such as an exclusive long-term disability insurance plan with Unum, and a national convention, with the 2027 convention in Chicago from 27 to 29 April

Advocacy and recognition

NATCA president Nick Daniels welcomed the passage of the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act in September 2026, and the same month accepted the Milton Caniff Spirit of Flight Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame on behalf of the union at its 62nd annual enshrinement in Washington. The union notes that the US aviation system contributes 5.2 percent of gross domestic product and supports nearly 11 million jobs, and its website tracks aircraft in the sky at peak times and the pounds of freight moving through the National Airspace System. Its stated values are honesty, tenacity, leadership by example, hard work, integrity, loyalty to the profession, open communication and the collective spirit.

Shows

NATCA appears in the partner lists of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2027 and FlightSimExpo 2027.

Contact

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