NBAA’s Chris Rocheleau Named to ATCA Board of Directors

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Chief Operating Officer Chris Rocheleau was recently elected to the board of directors for the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), where he will advise the organization in its mission to preserve a safe flight environment and advance the nation’s ATC network to meet the needs of future stakeholders.

“I am honored to bring a business aviation perspective to the ATCA board as we address numerous matters affecting our national aviation system, ranging from public policy and regulatory discussions, to driving the industry’s ongoing efforts to recruit, train and remove barriers to entry for a diverse and skilled workforce of the future,” said Rocheleau.

Founded in 1956, ATCA serves as a forum through which ATC providers, manufacturers, system users and other stakeholders can address issues affecting the safety and viability of ATC systems and aviation infrastructures, and the ever-increasing demands on the global airspace environment.

That mission is particularly important, Rocheleau continued, as air traffic management (ATM) systems evolve to support uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and on-demand advanced air mobility operations (AAM), which hold tremendous potential for a variety of business aviation uses.

“The responsible and safe introduction of UAS and AAM will depend upon insight and advocacy from across our industry on all matters relating to this evolution in technology,” he said. “Through engagement with the executive and legislative branches, particularly the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), we can help drive legislation and government policy, foster transparency and communication throughout the regulatory process and strategically leverage existing airports and other assets to bolster infrastructure development.”

Rocheleau is among six industry representatives elected to serve as directors-at-large on the ATCA board, along with Jim Eck, L3Harris Corporation; David Ford, Ford Aviation Solutions, LLC; Michael Hawthorne, Objective Area Solutions; Melissa Rudinger, EastView Aviation Consulting; and Rachel Seibert, GDIT.

The new ATCA directors-at-large will serve a three-year term, beginning in mid-November.