Arizona District Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome Letter 3 Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Today 4 Arizona District, Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Organizational Chart 5 Arizona District, Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Leadership Teams 6 Our Expectations of All Employees 9 On Your First Day 10 Local Area Information 12 Sporting and Special Events 14 Restaurants of Note 16 On Line Resources 18 Phoenix ATCT/TRACON and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Area Map 20 Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Directory 22

Welcome Letter

Dear New Employee,

Welcome to Phoenix Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)! Here you will have an opportunity to work with an outstanding team of professionals that help make us a great place to work and develop your skills. Your knowledge, abilities and positive attitude made you a highly regarded addition to our team, and I am certain that you will make a positive impact on our future.

All of us want to make your tenure at this facility as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. Please feel free to ask any questions and express your thoughts and ideas to the staff and senior leadership. Our aim is to create an informal atmosphere and involve everyone in the process of making our facility an exceptional place to work.

I look forward to working with you, and would like to welcome you again to our team!

Sincerely,

Phillip D. Thornton Manager, Arizona District

Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Today

The new, state-of-the-art Phoenix ATCT (PHX) and Phoenix TRACON (P50) were completed in 2007. The tower is 312 feet high. STARS, the TRACON’s newest system, can track as many as 1,150 airborne aircraft simultaneously.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is currently the nation’s 8th busiest airport and one of the fastest growing airports in the United States. Southwest Airlines and US Airways are the largest users and comprise 80 percent of the operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

The new cab boasts 880 square feet, allowing for adequate elbow room.

The TRACON is located in a 47,000 square-foot, three-story building at the base of the tower and can accommodate more than 20 positions with additional room to grow.

Currently Phoenix airspace comprises approximately a forty-mile radius from Phoenix Sky Harbor up to an altitude of 21,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). This airspace includes two of the top 50 busiest general aviation airports in the country. They are Deer Valley Airport, which is ranked 17 th , and Falcon Field, which is ranked 47 th overall. Arizona District also contains the top two busiest Federal Contract Towers (FCTs) in the nation. Phoenix-Mesa-Gateway Airport is ranked first and Chandler Airport comes in as second.

Arizona District, Phoenix ATCT and TRACON Organizational Chart

The following organizational chart depicts the structure of Arizona District and the Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Management Team.

Arizona District Manager Phillip Thornton

Systems Operations P50 Staf f Manager Traffic Management Philip Freed Officer Eric Fox

P50 Traffic PHX Traffic Administrative Busines s Services Management Management Services Administrative Unit Unit Administrative Officer Officer Polly Phillips Nancy Ellis

Management & Program Assistant Heather Lindsay

Support Manager Support Manager Support Manager Support Manager Safety Assurance Planning and Training Operations Support Kent Peterson Requirements Roger Mandeville Curt Faulk John Gilding

Support Specialists Support Specialist WCG Support Specialists Gerard Gallagher Bob Schimelpfening Contract Training Keith Henry David Miller Dan Cunningham QA Technicians Curtis Strickland Leemay Wu

DVT ATCT FFZ ATCT PHX ATCT PRC ATCT P50 TRACON SDL ATCT TUS ATCT U90 TRACON FCTs Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager Air Traffic Manager CHD, FLG, GEU, Toby Jones Harold Sharp Robert Whitworth Paul Winski Phillip Thornton Robert Voss Debra Collins Arthur Blank GYR, IWA, RYN

PHX ATCT P50 TRACON Operations Manager Operations James McMahon Managers Joseph Cerrito Eugene Riley

PHX ATCT P50 TRACON Front Line Front Line Managers Managers

Air Traffic Air Traffic Control Control Specialists Specialists 5

Arizona District, Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Leadership Teams

Phillip D. Thornton and Philip C. Freed head the Phoenix TRACON Leadership Team. Robert H. Whitworth, Jr., is the Manager for Phoenix ATCT. Below are their bios that outline career paths of these distinguished individuals and briefly describe their personal interests and hobbies.

Phillip D. Thornton, Air Traffic Manager, Phoenix TRACON, and Manager, Arizona District

Phil Thornton joined the United States Air Force in 1979 and served four years as an air traffic controller. He was hired by the FAA in 1983 as an air traffic controller in Tucson, Arizona. His career has included the following positions: Air traffic controller at Tucson ATCT/TRACON, Dallas-Fort Worth ATCT, Dallas-Fort Worth TRACON, and Phoenix TRACON. Phil served as a staff specialist and operations supervisor at Phoenix TRACON and was the operations manager for Phoenix ATCT and TRACON. He completed two one-year details to FAA Headquarters and has been the assistant air traffic manager at Santa Barbara ATCT/TRACON and Phoenix TRACON. Phil also held the position of air traffic manager at Falcon ATCT and is currently the air traffic manager for Phoenix TRACON and the Arizona district manager.

Phil loves sports and his hobbies include scuba diving and golf. He enjoys traveling, reading and visiting museums and historical landmarks. One of his most memorable experiences was diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Philip C. Freed, Staff Manager, Phoenix TRACON

Phil was born in the small suburban Philadelphia town of Sellersville, Pennsylvania. He has always had a love of aviation and received his private pilot’s license at age 16. Phil pursued a career in aviation after high school and joined the FAA in 1982 as an air traffic controller in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Phil has held various air traffic controller and staff positions. He worked as controller and traffic management coordinator at Philadelphia International Airport. Here at Phoenix TRACON, he has worked as an air traffic controller, operations supervisor, and operations manager. Phil also served a one-year detail at FAA Headquarters as a specialist in Workforce Services, Labor Relations.

He describes his personality as friendly, outgoing and optimistic. Phil enjoys travel, politics, sports, and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife Melanie for 26 years and has three grown sons.

Robert H. Whitworth, Jr., Air Traffic Manager, Phoenix ATCT

Bob hails from what is alternately known as the Constitution State, the Nutmeg State, or the Land of Steady Habits, i.e., Connecticut. In 1976, Bob joined the United States Air Force and became an air traffic controller stationed at Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas. After his four-year stint in the military, Bob worked on his undergraduate studies, and then joined the FAA. Bob was a controller at New Haven Tower and New York TRACON, operations supervisor at Bridgeport Tower, and Air Traffic Manager at Caldwell, Morristown, and Teterboro Towers. Bob also served three years as Branch Manager of the Eastern Quality Assurance Staff,

and has held several regional office positions. He holds a Masters in Public Administration.

Bob enjoys travel, film, antiques, classic cars, and architecture. On that last point, he’ll bend your ear about the great Frank Lloyd Wright, whose works can be found in the greater Phoenix area.

Our Expectations of All Employees

Arizona District, the Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON leadership teams expect all employees to :

• Come to work, be on time • Be prepared – mentally and physically • Understand leave policy and manage your leave appropriately • Be cooperative and professional • Treat people with respect and dignity • Take initiative • Be accountable • Lead by example – be a good role model • Do not tolerate or engage in any form of harassment or discrimination • Actively participate in training • Know your airspace and systems, know your equipment • Use prescribed phraseology/correct facility and equipment names • Follow rules and procedures • Be open to feedback – provide honest information • Be an effective team member • Ask for help when you need it • Be human, don’t be afraid to make or admit your mistakes • And most important – Have Fun!

On Your First Day

Reporting for Duty

You should report for duty on your first day of work at 7:00 a.m.

Hours of Duty

You can expect to be assigned an eight and one-half hour administrative shift (normally from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) for your first few weeks at the facility.

Parking

Employee parking is on the east side of the TRACON building within the fenced property.

Security and Building Access

On your first day of work, please bring photo identification with you (driver’s license). You will have to obtain a temporary facility access pass at the guard gate prior to entry to the facility property. This pass must be displayed at all times while at the facility and renewed each day until you receive your permanent FAA ID card. If you are a current FAA employee and retained your ID card from your previous assignment, it will suffice for entrance to the facility.

Other Documents

You will need the following documents on your first day of work.

Driver’s license, automobile registration, and proof of insurance for vehicle decal If you are a new government employee, you will need to furnish the stipulated documents on the Form I-9 you received with your employment packet If you are a veteran and new to government service, please bring a copy of your DD214 to help Human Resource Management establish your service computation date and leave accrual rate

Local Area Information

Phoenix Metropolitan Area Profile

Just as Phoenix is the “hub” of commercial activity in the Southwest, it is also the core around which twenty- plus communities have grown. Collectively they are known as the “Valley of the Sun” and they cover a small part of the sprawling 9,127 square miles in Maricopa County.

Some Valley cities are well known to those outside Arizona: Scottsdale, as the resort destination of choice for discriminating sun and recreation worshippers; Tempe, as the site of Arizona State University; Paradise Valley, as a residential town as idyllic as the name implies; and Sun City, as home to active retirees.

No matter what your interests, newcomers find a community waiting to welcome you. Two communities with burgeoning populations that deserve a close look are Mesa and Glendale, the state’s third and fourth largest cities after Phoenix and Tucson. Chandler and Gilbert (to the southeast) are becoming well known as magnets for both young families and high-tech manufacturing firms.

Fountain Hills, located above the Valley to the northeast in the McDowell Mountains, is fifteen minutes from the nearest city and prized for its solitude. The sister communities of Cave Creek and Carefree to the north comprise another secluded area, with rustic ranch spreads and million-dollar adobe homes inspired by Hohokam designs.

The West Valley communities of Peoria, Avondale, Tolleson and Litchfield Park offer family-oriented lifestyles and affordable housing. The outlying farming

communities of Goodyear, Buckeye and Surprise are rapidly mirroring the expansion of the closer-in West Valley communities.

Two primary reasons people live in the Valley of the Sun are warm weather and weekends. Shining brightly more than 300 days each year, the sun does much more than generate a good tan. Nine months out of the year, Valley residents enjoy pleasant, spring-like temperatures. It’s rare to have a golf game rained out. The summer is a different story. It’s hot here, no two ways about it. Temperatures often break 100 degrees during June through September. However over-used, the common defense, “But it’s a dry heat,” is true. Humidity is almost nonexistent here until August, when the monsoons drop sheets of welcome rain and replenish the water table. These evening thunderstorms, with their dramatic lightning displays, are almost an attraction in themselves. The average annual rainfall is only 7.66”.

The sun has shaped the Valley’s active, outdoor lifestyle, allowing people to pursue their recreational passions almost any time of the year. There are over 1,000 tennis courts and over 250 golf courses. To illustrate the diversity of the Arizona landscape, consider the fact that Phoenix boasts the highest per capita boat ownership in the nation and that major snow-skiing facilities are within several hours drive. A series of mountain ranges encircle the Valley, creating a recreational mecca for hikers and campers. Maricopa County’s diverse regional parks offer everything from a popular shooting range to a wave pool with water slides. The Valley’s backyard peaks – Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak and Papago Park – are favored by those who like to have fun close to home. Horseback riders, hikers, bicyclists and picnickers flock to South Mountain Park, which, at 16,500 acres, is the largest municipal park in the world.

Education has a high priority in the Metro Phoenix area. There are innovative special programs in the public schools, fine private schools and an extensive college system. In addition, vocational training is geared toward the actual needs of employers in the area.

Attractions Abound in Phoenix

Opportunities abound in the Valley of the Sun for cultural and shopping enjoyment.

The Heard Museum is known for its Native American culture and art exhibits and the Phoenix Art Museum’s permanent collection contains over 13,000 art works.

Pueblo Grande Museum, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, the Rosson House, the Arizona Science Center and the Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum also house interesting exhibits.

And, there’s more! Discover the desert at the Desert Botanical Garden, visit the Phoenix Zoo, explore the environment at Biosphere 2 or tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West – all these plus many more attractions will provide hours of fun.

Sporting and Special Events

Whether you are a participant or spectator, the Valley of the Sun offers a tremendous variety of activities. With year- round mild temperatures, the outdoors has become a way of life.

The NFL Arizona Cardinals began the 2006 football season in their new home, the 67,000 seat University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. All Fiesta Bowl games (one of the Bowl

Championship Series games) are also played at the stadium in Glendale. The University of Phoenix Stadium was also chosen as the site of Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, and it hosts many other events and concerts.

Major League Baseball became a reality with the Arizona Diamondbacks which began play in 1998 in Chase Field and won the World Series in the fall of 2001. Springtime brings several MLB teams for the Cactus League baseball training season, including Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs, and the LA Angels of Anaheim.

The US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix is the home of the Phoenix Suns ’ NBA team. Part of the WNBA, the Phoenix Mercury , play from the end of June through August. Arizona State University’s Sun Devils basketball team is a member of the Pacific 10 Conference.

Phoenix International Raceway is home to such events as an Indy Car Race and two NASCAR Winston Cup races.

In golf, Scottsdale is the home of the FBR Open, and the infamous 16 th hole, at the Tournament Players Club adjacent to the Scottsdale Princess Resort.

Restaurants of Note

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, 905 N. 54th St., Chandler, 480-940-1900 www.flemingssteakhouse.com Offering an alternative to the cattleman’s club atmosphere at most steakhouses, Fleming’s is designed as a couples and family-friendly destination. The menu features USDA prime beef, hand-cut daily on site into steaks.

Salt Cellar – 550 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, 480-947-1963 The dining adventure lies at the bottom of a winding stairway to a subtly lit bar, dining room and kitchen. The place is comfy, funky, fun, spotlessly clean, and has some of the finest, most reasonably priced seafood in the Valley.

Bobby Q, 8501 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, 602-995-5982 www.bobbyq.net Weathered brick walls and corrugated metal siding give the place a rustic, Wild West feel, with vintage signs and rusted eating utensil sconces as part of the décor. Hearty baby back ribs, smoked sausage and beef brisket are the house specialties, served with cowpoke sides such as shoestring fries and coleslaw.

PF Chang’s China Bistro, 16170 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria, 623-412-3335 www.pfchangs.com Although “elegant is rarely a word used in describe chain restaurants, P. F. Chang’s hits the bull’s-eye. Gracious, inviting and innovative, P. F. Chang’s is a Best Chinese Restaurant Award Winner.

Buca di Beppo, 3828 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-949-6622 www.bucadibeppo.com Bigger is better at Buca di Beppo. It is known for its overflowing platters of Italian standards served in a boisterous atmosphere. Small Caesar salads serve four, and heaping bowls of pasta are smothered in marinara and three-pound (no kidding) meatballs.

Online Resources

Local Area Resources www.ci.phoenix.az.us

Community Volunteering www.cir.org

Chamber of Commerce www.phoenixchamber.com

Housing and Relocating Assistance www.city-data.com/city/Phoenix-Arizona.html

Local News www.usnpl.com/aznews.php

Phoenix Metropolitan Area Schools www.phoenix.gov/EDUCATN/schdist.html

Arizona Colleges and Universities www.u101.com/colleges/Arizona/

Local Sports Teams

Baseball: MLB Arizona Diamondbacks www.arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com

Basketball: NBA Phoenix Suns www.nba.com/suns/ ; WNBA Phoenix Mercury www.wnba.com/mercury/

Football: NFL Arizona Cardinals www.azcardinals.com

Hockey: NHL Phoenix Coyotes www.coyotes.nhl.com

Soccer: Arizona Sahuaros www.azsahuaros.com

Sports Leagues

Baseball League: Springtime brings several MLB teams for the Cactus League baseball training season. www.cactusleague.com

Phoenix ATCT/TRACON and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Area Map

Photos of the Airport

Below is a photo of runways, facilities and main airport terminals of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

1: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Aerial Map

2: Phoenix Skyline from Sky Harbor Airport

Phoenix ATCT and Phoenix TRACON Directory

The following list provides the most commonly used phone numbers within the Phoenix ATCT/TRACON facility:

>> Front Desk in Air Traffic Administration (602) 306-2524

>> TRACON Manager’s Office (602) 306-2501

>> Tower Manager’s Office (602) 306-2502

>> Facility Fax (602) 220-1716

Completing This Document

ATO facilities may complete their own Facility Guides using this sample as a guide. By creating and completing this document, you are helping your employees by providing them with a central resource for information and welcoming them to the community. You are also helping the ATO to ensure that your new employees will have the skills, knowledge and attitude to succeed in today’s workplace.

Sharing Your Knowledge

Once you complete the guide, you may consider posting the document on the ATO Experience website. Fully developed and completed facility guides may be sent to Colleen Janus, Transition Team, Change Management at [email protected] in an electronic format. Colleen will then coordinate with other ATO offices to ensure that the best examples are posted on the ATO website. This will allow us to share the best practices across facilities, showcase some of the work and help other facilities in developing their own customized guides.

We sincerely thank you for your time and efforts in compiling the necessary resources for your new employees and taking an active part in the ATO Facility New Hire Initiative.

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