Happy New Year D Area! Here's some of the latest info...
1. Leave Bidding -
We are still grinding out the bidding. Round three is very near, you can bid the remaining days you will earn this year. Here's the current status:
2. New ZSE Natca Website -
Devin Carlisto of the C area made a website for our local Natca. It is www.natca-zse.com. (You can also get there by typing natcazse.com, zsenatca.com, or zse-natca.com). On that page you will be able to find links to different forms, links to the D area updates, as well as other area updates, and much more. You can also submit your MAC address so that you can use the wifi at work. Click on the Wifi link to do that. The wifi will be blocking people that haven't submitted their MAC addresses soon. This is to make sure that the wifi is only utilized by Natca and PASS members.
Some areas of the website are password protected, and the password is zse. It is password protected so that only Natca members are able to see the content.
3. Oceanic Data Blocks -
I'm hearing rumors that the way we handle our oceanic traffic could be changing soon. I know that right now there are many different ways that we all handle the oceanic guys, but they may try to standardize it soon. They might start having us keep datablocks on everyone until they cross the OCB. Right now, its just rumors, but its something to think about.
4. Northbound MFR departures and Eastbound EUG departures climbing to high -
The local safety council (LSC) is looking into our northbound MFR departures that are climbing to FL 240 or FL 260 etc. The B area can never be sure what the aircraft is actually doing, since sector 36 is pointing them out to 15. I've told Renee Peavey that this happens very few times throughout the day and hasn't caused any dangerous situations that I'm aware of. I do however understand the B area's confusion on the way we handle those guys. The LSC is going to get back to me with their ideas on how to better handle this (if any change at all), and we'll go from there.
The LSC is also looking into eastbound EUG departures coming from sector 6, 5, or 46 to sector 13. They were wondering if there was any confusion there, and I said that I wasn't aware of any. If you see it is coming from 6 or 5, you know they are stopped at FL 230 and you may have to do a point out to 46 and/or 14. If you see it coming from 46, you know the aircraft is already climbing to whatever is in the datablock. If there is some confusion out there that I'm not aware of, let me know and I can take it back to the LSC.
5. Monster Trucks -
Natca Reloaded is doing an event coming up soon at the Tacoma Dome. It is a monster truck show and Natca will cover your ticket. Additional tickets are $12. You can sign up on the bulletin board in the hallway by the control room. I attached the flyer with some more information.
As always, let me know if you have any questions or ideas,
Chico