Marielena Catalan-Castro

Aviation Analyst

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Bachelor of Science, Air Traffic Management, 2020
Minors, Meteorology and Human Factors

CERTIFICATIONS AND RATINGS
FAA Private Pilot License–Airplane, Single Engine, Land

Ms. Catalan‑Castro uses her analytical and statistical skills to review, analyze, and categorize data for PAI’s Government and industry clients.  She performs technical research and writing tasks, such as researching issues and drafting reports, manuals, rulemaking documents, records of meeting, white papers, and other similar documents.  Ms. Catalan‑Castro also performs directed aviation studies by researching historical accident and incident reports to identify trends and safety issues and presenting the results and findings in written and graphical format.  Additionally, she provides meeting support for rulemaking committees, task forces, public meetings, and other similar groups by organizing and attending meetings, documenting meeting decisions, providing meeting facilitation support as necessary, drafting records of meeting, tracking action items, and organizing and storing meeting materials.  Finally, Ms. Catalan‑Castro performs summary and analysis of public comments for rulemaking and other Government actions.

Ms. Catalan-Castro began her education in Air Traffic Management at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in August 2016.  At ERAU, her courses included airline operations, aviation law, aviation safety, human factors, human resource management, satellite and radar interpretation, weather, and various simulations, including flight and air traffic control (ATC) operations.  This coursework helped Ms. Catalan‑Castro gain an understanding of practices, principles, and mechanics of all aspects of flight.  She also developed multi‑tasking and situational awareness skills to competently perform real‑world ATC operations.

Throughout college, Ms. Catalan‑Castro volunteered in ATC simulation labs, which included tower, terminal radar control facility (TRACON), en route radar, and en route non‑radar simulations.  Through these simulations, she learned how air traffic systems work in normal and abnormal settings.  Within these simulations, she successfully managed in‑flight emergency situations, varying workloads, loss of situational awareness, complications with airspace design, and communication errors.  Ms. Catalan-Castro also learned the technical aspects of the labs by running multiple simulations on different platforms and troubleshooting problems, which included headset failures, equipment failures, and program failures.  Along with running the labs, she also worked as the pseudo pilot for her peers, learning how to manipulate the software in the process.

Ms. Catalan‑Castro supplemented her aviation experience by earning her Private Pilot Certificate on fixed wing, single engine aircraft, land.  She achieved this in the summer of 2020 by taking ground training and flight instruction courses that involved aircraft systems, weather, regulation, radio communications, and normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures.