NATCA

Nearly three dozen FAA Academy students attended a meet and greet with NATCA leadership and members in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The evening provided an open forum for academy students to ask questions about the air traffic control profession and NATCA membership.

New England Regional Vice President Kevin Curtiss, Training Representative Jim Newman (Kansas City Center, ZKC), and Reloaded Committee member Cameron Haynes (Wichita ATCT, ICT) led the discussion. They were joined by NATCA members Mitch Becker (Minneapolis Center, ZMP), Maurice Franklin (Potomac TRACON, PCT), Kym Hagan (Central Florida TRACON, F11), and Billy Spicer (Memphis Center, ZME).

Some of the students who attended were in their first days of the academy, while others were nearing the end of their evaluations. Several of the students shared they were second generation ATCs, whose parents were either currently employed by the FAA or had retired from the Agency.

There are four more NATCA meet and greets with FAA Academy students scheduled for 2026, with the next one set for July 15.

For July, the 2026 NATCA wall calendar features a photo of Daytona Beach ATCT (DAB) taken by local member Blake Guiles.

Daytona Beach ATCT is a level 10 FAA tower with 50 NATCA members. Daytona Beach International Airport is a multi-use airport, serving air carriers, corporate flights, and general aviation operators. The airport is also home to numerous flight schools including the Daytona Beach campus for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

In 2025, air traffic controllers at DAB handed more than 332,000 operations as more than 772,000 passengers accessed the airport.