CATCA Members,
NAV CANADA and CATCA have reached an agreement to include the 2025 Communicating for Safety (CFS) Conference, as part of the FAM Flight Program under Article 29 of the CATCA Collective Agreement. The following outlines the terms under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and the application process.
The CFS Conference, hosted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) will take place in Las Vegas September 15-17, 2025.
- Members must be eligible for a Fam Flight in the 2025-2027 cycle to apply.
- Given the timeline, usual 90-day notice requirement will be waived with applications subject to the timelines listed below.
- Up to 30 members will be approved to attend, in accordance with the Familiarization Flight and Unit Visit Program Guidelines, on a first-come first-served basis with no more than 5 attendees per FIR.
- Any member within a category (please refer to Appendix C below) that is eligible for a Long Range destination may attend, however they will not be eligible for a Long Range destination in the 2028-2030 cycle. Please note that members from YVR, YYC, YYZ, and YUL Towers are within Category 1 as per the LOU that was signed in 2016.
- Any member within a category (please refer to Appendix C below) that is not eligible for a Long Range destination may attend, however they will not be eligible for a FAM flight in the 2028-2030 cycle.
- Those who have previously attended CFS on a FAM flight will only be considered for the 2025 conference on an exceptional basis.
- Those approved to attend will be permitted no more than 3 days absence with pay and are required to attend 1 full day of the conference. No overtime will be paid for attending.
Attendance for the following dates only will be authorized: September 15, 16 and 17, 2025. Any costs associated with optional activities, including but not limited to, the Archie League Banquet will be borne by the attendee.
- Applications will open on July 28, 2025 at 1200 EDT in the FAM Flight App on SharePoint.
- Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the submission time and date stamps captured by SharePoint when employees submit their FAM Flight application, with a maximum of 5 per FIR. It is imperative that members select/input the correct manager when completing the form.
- Applications will close on August 4, 2025 at 1600.
- Approvals will be finalized by August 15, 2025 and communicated via an email notification.
Upon receipt of the approval email, the attendees must register for the conference and book their hotel accommodations at the conference hotel via the link on the conference website.
On behalf of the CATCA Executive Board,
Nick von Schoenberg Scott Loder
President Executive Vice-President
APPENDIX “C”
FLIGHT/VISIT TRAINING PROGRAM DESTINATION
| Category | Primary Destination | |||
| 1. Controllers, Supervisors, Unit Procedures Specialists and Data System Coordinators in ACCs | A. Domestic ACC in adjacent Canadian FIR IFR Unit in USA FIR (see chart Article 29) Ottawa Head Office Tower in FIR B. Long Range | |||
| 2. Controllers, Supervisors and Unit Operations Specialists in ATC-1 and ATC-2 level control towers | A. Domestic ACC in same FIRTower in Canadian FIRRegional Office | |||
| 3. Controllers, Supervisors, Unit Procedures Specialists and Unit Operations Specialists in ATC-3, ATC-4 ATC-5 and ATC-6 level control towers. | A. Domestic ACC in same FIRATC-1 and ATC-2 Towers subject to:Any ATC-1 or ATC-2 Tower in YVR, YEG, or YWG FIRs if located within one of these FIRs; orAny ATC-1 or ATC-2 Tower in YYZ, YUL, YQM or YQX FIRs if located within one of these FIRs.Any ATC-3, ATC-4, ATC-5 or ATC-6 Tower in Canadian FIRTower in USA FIR (see chart Article 29)Regional Office | |||
| 4. ITU Program Specialists | A. Domestic Unit in same FIR ITU/ACC in Canadian FIR IFR Unit in USA FIR (see chart Article 29) NAV CANADA Training Institute Ottawa Head Office B. Long Range | |||
| 5. Airport Operations Specialists | A. Domestic Unit in Canadian FIR Tower Unit in USA FIR (see chart Article 29) NAV CANADA Training Institute Ottawa Head Office | |
| 6. Headquarters Specialists and Supervisors | A. Domestic ITU – Montreal, TorontoACC/Tower – Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, WinnipegUSA Unit Boston, New York, ChicagoFAA School, Oklahoma CityFAA Technical Centre, Atlantic CityFAA Washington B. Long Range (Except VFR Specialists) | |
| 7. Instructors and Course Maintenance Specialists | A. Domestic 1. Unit in Toronto or Montreal FIR 2. USA Unit – Boston, New York or Chicago FAA School – Oklahoma City | |
| 8. National Operations Centre | A. Domestic ACC in Canadian FIR Control Tower at Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal/Dorval FAA ATSSCC – Washington, D.C. B. Long Range (one unit only) Central Flow Management Unit – Brussels |