Air traffic controller honored by FAA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andrew R. Howells
  • Utah Air National Guard Public Affairs
SALT LAKE CITY (AFPN) --  Capt. Todd Lobato, chief air traffic control trainer for the Utah Air National Guard's 299th Range Control Squadron, was honored recently by the Federal Aviation Administration as the FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year. 

Captain Lobato received this award for his role as the aviation safety counselor for the Utah region. 

Captain Lobato was the driving force in creating a public awareness campaign to educate civilian and commercial pilots about the dangers of mid-air collisions at the Utah Test and Training Range located in northwestern Utah and eastern Nevada. 

Visiting more than 11 cities in a three-week period, the captain volunteered his time and effort to offer these education seminars to the public. 

"I don't think that there is a counselor who has done as much work and put in as much time as Captain Lobato has for this program," said Master Sgt. Hugh Marstella, 299th RCS air traffic controller. 

The Regional FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year is an award normally given to FAA personnel, but was awarded to a military controller this year, Sergeant Marstella said. 

Captain Lobato, a Utah native, has been an air traffic controller for 16 years and was commissioned as an officer in November 2002. 

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