WESTCHESTER AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome Letter 3 A Brief History of Westchester Airport and Tower 4 Air Traffic Organization 6 Our Expectation of All Employees 7 Policies 9 Local Area Information 11 Restaurants 15 Online Resources 17 Westchester Tower and Airport Area Map 20 Photos of Westchester Airport 21 2 Welcome Letter Dear New Employee, Welcome to Westchester Tower! Here you will have an opportunity to work with an outstanding team of professionals that help make this a great place to work! Your knowledge, abilities and positive attitude make you a highly regarded addition to our team, and I am certain you will make a positive impact on our future. Each of us wants to welcome you to our facility and make you feel the same pride we have. Please feel free to ask any questions and express your thoughts and ideas to myself and my staff. My aim is to create an informal atmosphere and involve everyone in the process of making this facility an exceptional place to work. I look forward to working with you, and would like to welcome you again to our team! Laura Stensland Laura Stensland Air Traffic Manager Westchester Tower 3 A Brief History of Westchester Airport and Tower Westchester County Airport has a unique and interesting history. After the invasion of Pearl Harbor, Federal Officials approached Westchester County to secure a location for the establishment of a home base for the Air National Guard 137 th Fighter Squadron to protect New York City from possible invasion. Construction was completed in 1943 with the airports runways built to handle the heaviest bombers of the era such as B-17, B-24 and B-25. In the following years as more people began moving to Westchester County the National Guard decided to relocate to Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York. This move left the Airport virtually empty till 1947 when the first commuter services were established. These included Allegheny Airlines, Empire Airlines, and Command Airways. Westchester Airport has undergone several renovations in the ensuing years and is now home to 8 airlines serving approximately 18 destinations. Westchester is also the home of several fixed based operators including Avitat, Signature Flight Support, Landmark, NetJets, Panorama, and Million Air. 4 Westchester Tower was constructed in 1968 and is associated with a Class D service area. Our workforce of 18 Controllers and 2 Front Line Managers handle approximately 187,000 operations each year. The work environment at Westchester is friendly and warm. Everyone strives to work together professionally while maintaining a family atmosphere. From the Manager to the newest developmental, EVERYONE counts as part of the team. Welcome to the FAA Air Traffic Organization! 5 Air Traffic Organization The FAA has five primary lines of business with more than 47,000 employees. The largest line of business is the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), which consists of more than 300 facilities and 36,000 employees throughout the United States. The ATO, through its workforce of controllers, technicians, engineers and support personnel, provides air traffic services for commercial, corporate, private and military aviation. We are truly honored to have you join us on our mission. You’ll find many of the resources you need to make your job transition a smooth one on the employees.faa.gov web site. 6 Our Expectations of All Employees 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 7 The management team at Westchester Tower is committed to helping you in any way we can. We feel it is our responsibility to aid you in your goal to become an air traffic controller or, if you desire, to further your career in the FAA. If you keep in mind the basic guidelines listed above, your transition into the facility should be seamless. Again, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask. We are here to help you! 8 Policies Reporting for Duty Employees are expected to report for work at their assigned shift time. If a situation arises that will prevent you from reporting on time, call the tower at 914-948-6748. Hours of Duty On the day you report to the facility, we ask that you arrive at 7:00 am. Thereafter, your duty hours will be dependent on several factors. You can expect to have, at a minimum, one week of classroom training, which will follow administrative hours. Once your classroom instruction is completed, you will transition into an operational duty schedule. Operational personnel are assigned either 8 or 9 hour shifts unless assigned an administrative day. Employees working 8 or 9 hour shifts are subject to immediate recall and may not leave the facility during their shift unless they have obtained management approval. Employees working an administrative shift are assigned an 8.5 hour shift and may leave the facility for their 30 minute unpaid lunch break after obtaining management approval. Parking Parking is permitted in the facility parking lot. Employees will be issued a facility proximity card which will provide access to the parking lot and the facility exterior door. Building Access Proximity cards are needed to gain access to the facility parking area and all facility exterior doors. 9 FAA ID Cards You will be issued an FAA photo ID card shortly after your arrival. Once you receive your identification card you are required to wear it at all times while in the facility. Guests and Visitors All guests and visitors should be approved through management and are required to sign in at the administrative office. Immediate family or guests, are always welcome, but please coordinate visits with management. Cell Phones Cell phones must be in the off position while in the operation. Personal reading material and electronic devices are not permitted in operational areas. 10 Local Area Information Westchester County, a collection of towns that serve as a popular suburb for the bordering New York City, is also the gateway to the Hudson River Valley, an area that offers a bounty of attractions. There are many wonderful and unique restaurants, parks and nature preserves, farmers markets, museums, performing arts, craft fairs, and superior shopping. Westchester County also contains Rye Playland, a popular children’s amusement park, historic sites from the American Revolution, the African American Heritage Trail and several famous houses. 7 wonders of Westchester A collection of Westchester’s most-visited cultural attractions. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah 10536 Phone: 914-232-5035 Fax: 914-232-5521 www.caramoor.org Home to one of the top 5 outdoor festivals in the nation. For 7 weeks every summer, 2 outdoor theaters resonate with great music created by the world's finest classical, opera and jazz artists. The music moves indoors to the Music Room during the fall and spring. The Rosen House, a Mediterranean-style mansion, is a national and state historic site, with an astonishing collection of Renaissance and Eastern decorative and fine art. Several noteworthy theme gardens. 11 Hudson River Museum (Glenview Mansion & The Andrus Planetarium) 511 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers 10701 Phone: 914-963-4550 Email: [email protected] Hours of Operation: Wednesday - Sunday: 12-5pm; Friday: 12-8pm www.hrm.org The galleries and restored period room of Glenview, a vintage Hudson River home, feature exhibitions of American art, history and science plus many family programs. Hudson Riverama , a permanent teaching gallery, simulates the Hudson River with scenic designs, interactive experiences, multimedia technology, aquariums and a scale model of the river. Explore the reaches of outer space at Andrus Planetarium shows. Katonah Museum of Art Route 22 at Jay Street, Katonah 10536 Phone: 914-232-9555 Fax: 914-232-3128 Email: [email protected] Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm; Sunday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm www.katonahmuseum.org A non-collecting institution dedicated to the visual arts, offering changing exhibitions and acclaimed Children's Learning Center, a sculpture garden amidst 100- year-old Norwegian Spruce trees, family programming, lectures, live jazz, evening cocktail parties, organized trips and tours to other museums and private collections. 12 Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate 200 Lake Road, Sleepy Hollow 10591 Phone: 914-631-9491 Hours of Operation: Open for tours May - November daily except Tuesday www.hudsonvalley.org Extraordinary landmark home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Tours include the main rooms of the six-story stone house, the expansive terraced gardens containing an exceptional collection of 20th century sculpture, art galleries with Governor Rockefeller's collection of Picasso tapestries and the Coach Barn with classic automobiles and horse-drawn carriages. Artists include, among others, Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Louis Nevelson and David Smith. Tours depart from nearby Philipsburg Manor. Purchase tickets online. Lyndhurst 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown 10591 Phone: 914-631-4481