Don Desfosse

In ATC circles, what exactly is a "good" deal? Oh, the ones at Tea Party where noone really dies! That's right! "THEY HAVE VISUAL!!" ;D

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Mike Willey (WY) [s:39n5b3dp]believed my lies and[/s:39n5b3dp] has accepted a new assignment as ZBW's Training Administrator. As most of you know, Mike is a real world pilot (and airplane owner!), is a fabulous ATC instructor, and is one of our most respected members. He is a ball of energy, loves aviation, loves VATSIM, loves ZBW, and it shows. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Matt Spencer (SP) from the bottom of my heart for serving admirably in the TA role for the past two plus years. Matt has done a fabulous job in this role; he is extremely knowledgeable, an absolutely outstanding controller, an absolutely outstanding instructor, has done yeoman's work tweaking our exam question bank, and has been a great leader at the helm of the training department. Unfortunately, as happens to most or all of us from time to time, real world obligations have made it necessary for him to step back for a little while. We still hope that Matt will find time to control and instruct with us as he is able; he's far to valuable to lose to piddly little real world things like earning a living and paying for school.... ;) Please join me in congratulating Mike, wishing him the best, and supporting him as he transitions into this new role.

It gives me great pleasure to announce ZBW's newest Facility Engineer, Chris Mauro. Chris is no stranger to doing the technical work -- he has done yeoman's work on the Facility Engineering team for quite a while, and has demonstrated his technical prowess and ability to jump in and get the work done when it's needed to be done. Our thanks go out to Kevin Moody for wearing this hat for the past 2+ years. He has also done a fabulous job. There is a saying, though, "Many hands make light work." Kevin has been wearing three staff hats -- FE and Webmaster and Instructor. Kevin will continue his fabulous support to ZBW in the Data Services Manager / Webmaster and ATC Instructor roles. Please join me in congratulating Chris on stepping up to accept the staff role, and wishing him well!

Well, to be perfectly honest -- their completion date was supposed to be 9/30 but nobody believed it, so I went with the prevailing theories at the time when I said late Oct / early Nov.... ;)

Runway 15R/33L is now open! As such, suicide ops are again approved using 15R/33L.

If any of you find the typo that I found in one of the new STARs... I have already reported it to the FAA. ;)

Hopefully this link will work -- should show the procedures changing at KBOS on Thursday. http://aeronav.faa.gov/digital_tpp_sear ... it1=Search NOTE: This link will only work through 18 Oct 2012.

And again the changes come. Effective 0901Z 20 Sep 2012, the KBOS arrivals will be changing again, as follows: STAR KRANN (RNAV) TWO BOSTON MA KBOS GENERAL EDWARD LAWRENCE LOGAN INTL BOS (KBOS) BOSTON, MA 9/20/2012 STAR NORWICH FIVE BOSTON MA KBOS GENERAL EDWARD LAWRENCE LOGAN INTL BOS (KBOS) BOSTON, MA 9/20/2012 STAR OOSHN (RNAV) TWO BOSTON MA KBOS GENERAL EDWARD LAWRENCE LOGAN INTL BOS (KBOS) BOSTON, MA 9/20/2012 STAR QUABN (RNAV) TWO BOSTON MA KBOS GENERAL EDWARD LAWRENCE LOGAN INTL BOS (KBOS) BOSTON, MA 9/20/2012 My plan was to just publish a quick summary of the changes associated with each. Unfortunately, my loaner computer for when I'm on travel doesn't have Adobe Professional, so I can't convert the Adobe file to OCR and just paste the changes, so I provided links to the full FAA change document above. That will actually help our Facilities Engineering team get the waypoints as well. Some of these have waypoint location changes and waypoint additions; we'll need our Facilities Engineering team to assess the impact to our sector files, and publish new ones as appropriate. More as I get it.

With the closure of runway 33L/15R due to resurfacing, estimated until late October or early November, KBOS Nocturnal Operations procedures for noise abatement are amended as follows: Weather permitting, between the hours of 0000 and 0600L, the KBOS airport configuration shall be landing Runway 27 and departing Runway 22R until further notice.

The Providence Approach frequency has now changed to 123.67 (vice 135.40). This one makes me a bit teary-eyed... I have been calling Providence Approach on 135.40 since I was a student pilot in 1989... and I'm sure others have been calling that frequency up for far longer than that.... The TEDDY3 STAR has been retired, and replaced with the WIPOR1 RNAV STAR.

As most of you know, other than my family, there is not a lot more important to me than my VATSIM family. And I truly look forward to fun, food, drink and fellowship with all of you during the Boston Tea Party event. Well, one of our family won't be able to make it this year, and I want to tell you why. Dave Pascoe (PE), one of our senior and long-time controllers who usually comes out and works Center each year, will be riding in the Pan Mass Challenge, an annual bike ride to raise funds to help come up with a cure for cancer. I can't think of a nobler thing. The PMC rides through 46 cities and towns in Massachusetts, and the ride is up to 190 miles. And it doesn't faze the riders at all -- they have a mission to accomplish! I have been affected by cancer -- three of my grandparents have died of it, my mother is a three time survivor, and three of my friends have various forms of cancer now (and are fighting it). Statistically speaking, the odds are good that I will get, and die from, some form of cancer as well. Same for my two beautiful daughters. I want to do everything I can to save them and keep them safe. Supporting the PMC is one small way in which I can try to make a difference. I have long been a PMC supporter, sponsoring many folks who have undertaken the good fight to help raise funds for cancer research, and rid our world of this terrible disease. I am proud to support PE in his effort, and encourage anyone who has the ability to do so as well. Or if your parents, friends, loved ones, or any other fokls that you know are looking for someone to support, I encourage you to support Dave. The link to his PMC page is here: http://www.pmc.org/profile/DP0183

A Happy Fathers' Day to all the guys out there privileged enough to have precious ones call them Dad!

Team, let us take a moment to reflect on why this, in the USA, is a holiday weekend. For many, this is a weekend of joy and celebrating the freedoms we have with our families and loved ones. Please do not ever forget about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to guarantee our freedoms and the happiness we enjoy. Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans -- the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) -- established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The ceremonies centered around the mourning-draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. After speeches, children from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphan Home and members of the GAR made their way through the cemetery, strewing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves, reciting prayers and singing hymns. The crowd attending the first Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery was approximately 5,000 people. Then, as now, small American flags were placed on each grave -- a tradition followed at many national cemeteries today. In recent years, the custom has grown in many families to decorate the graves of all departed loved ones. The origins of special services to honor those who die in war can be found in antiquity. The Athenian leader Pericles offered a tribute to the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War over 24 centuries ago that could be applied today to the 1.1 million Americans who have died in the nation's wars: "Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men." To ensure the sacrifices of America's fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law "The National Moment of Remembrance Act," P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance. The commission's charter is to "encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity" by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance. The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: "It's a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day." May you all enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend, and give the appropriate thought, remembrance, and consideration to those who went before us, fighting to protect the freedoms we enjoy. And although this is just one story of remembrance, it is one story that continues to move me every time I read it. Best wishes for a safe and happy weekend.

Yep -- that was me. I was working on it, I broke it, and have a note into KK to fix it..... ;)

Shhh!!!! Don't tell the webmaster.... I figured out how to fix the TeamSpeak status page! :)

Update -- the changeover occurred overnight. Very few issues as far as we've been able to tell so far. The most noticeable one that we've been able to determine so far is that the TeamSpeak status page is not working. Our webmaster is working the issues.

Team, the switch may well happen tonight. Stay tuned, say your prayers, cross your fingers and toes, and hope that nothing breaks. If it does, post here and let us know.

The data center where the ZBW web server is hosted is going to be decommissioned on June 16th. We be moving all the sites on that server to a faster, newer server in the very near future (possibly even sometime this weekend). We will try to post a reply here when the actual day/time is picked. With this move, there will likely be some downtime. Also, the software running the newer server is newer, and not 100% backward compatible, so it is likely that some of our web/data functionality may break as a product of the move. We are doing everything we can to identify any affected software/code and upgrade it now in parallel with the move, but it's very possible that there will be some negatively-affected functionality. If you see anything broken, please reply to this thread so we can debug/fix the code. Thank you!

All, looks like we've turned the crank all the way around on one of our DPs. Announcing..... The WYLYY ONE departure! http://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/1202/compa ... YY_CMP.PDF As you can see, not too different from the WYLYY9.... I guess the FAA needs a reason to start charging us for their digital charts....

And folks, just to clarify my earlier post, for the time being, you won't get "descend via" clearances in New York or Boston Center airspace (unless a manual coordination is effected, which would be very rare), but aircraft flying the RNAV arrivals are quite likely to get "descend via" transitions once they are in Boston Approach airspace. The terminology would sound like this: Cactus 592, descend via the KRANN1 arrival, Runway 33L transition, Boston Altimeter 29.92

We have a lot of fantastic events and activities coming up -- looking forward to getting our new EC up to speed as soon as possible. If you are considering applying and have not yet, please drop me a line to let me know your intentions (atm -at- bostonartcc.net), and get your application in as soon as possible. Thanks.

The Boston ARTCC (vZBW) is currently seeking an Event Coordinator who will provide compelling capability and effective management of the vZBW events function. The Event Coordinator will be responsible for the creation, delivery, and management of vZBW Events and special activities. Key Accountabilities: * Reports to the Boston Air Traffic Manager * Develop and manage multiple events simultaneously * Create new, unique event ideas * Advertise among community groups, message boards, forums, emails, etc. * Create advertising graphics * Write and publish pilot/controller information packages * Oversee and assist with planning Live events/activities * Develop and maintain ARTCC events website calendars Required Skills: * Must be an active member of the network in good standing * Must be able to succeed in a team environment * Must have excellent written and oral communication skills * Mature, responsible, conscientious, accountable, and organized * Willing to promote the positive image of ZBW on a daily basis * Able to devote the time required for advertising, contacting other organizations, and managing events * Able to seek and interact with commercial event sponsors * Willing to be a "go-to" staff member with constant controller interaction and the contribution of new ideas Desired Skills: * Creative writing skills * Ability to produce quality, professional graphic ads Letter of application should summarize the applicant's reasons for wanting to join the staff in this role, compelling evidence to show how the position requirements are met, and how the function will thrive under the applicant's leadership. Applications should be submitted to Don Desfosse, ZBW Air Traffic Manager, at atm -at- bostonartcc.net. Application deadline is 02 Feb 2012.

The FAA finally caught up to our procedures.... ;) Plus one more update:

The new crossing restriction on the KRANN1 arrival is BAWLL @ FL230. Overheard very recently... NY CTR: "JBUxxx cross BAWLL at FL230." JBUxxx: "Sir we don't have BAWLLs." ;D

These continue to be awesome, year after year. Thank you for all we've been able to accomplish together in 2011, and I wish you, your families, friends and loved ones a very safe, healthy and happy holiday season, and an even better 2012!