Air traffic control disruptions in Newark highlight vulnerabilities in the United States' aviation control system.
HOST:
Just another day at Newark Liberty International Airport, the scene of yet another tech-related mishap this morning, causing a ground stop. Yep, you guessed it - another telecom blip, according to the FAA. Now, this ain't the first rodeo. The third outage in less than three weeks has everyone on edge about passenger safety. And get this - last week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declared a need for a brand-spanking new air traffic control system to tackle the issue.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
SEAN DUFFY: This is bold. This is gonna be challenging, but we absolutely can do it.
HOST: Joining us now is aviation guru William McGee, a senior fellow for travel and aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project. Howdy, partner!
WILLIAM MCGEE: Howdy! Thanks for having me on.
HOST: So, lemme ask ya, just how bad are things at Newark, huh?
MCGEE: Well, it's been a long time since I've seen a mess like this when it comes to air traffic control and safety, if I'm being straight with you.
HOST: Now, what's the dealio that's got ya so riled up?
MCGEE: It's a perfect storm of problems that's been brewing for years. You can trace it all the way back to the Reagan administration, and every administration since then hasn't been able to grab a handle on the situation. We got the most intricate and largest air traffic control network in the world, and we're lagging behind a bunch of other countries when it comes to the number of controllers and the infrastructure and technology.
HOST: Alright, now tell me about the challenges the sector is dealin' with.
MCGEE: Aight. Depending on who you talk to, we either got 3,000 air traffic controllers stuck in limbo in the US right now or 3,500. Either way, it's not cool. The last administration hired 2,000 new controllers, but it still wasn't enough. They made an effort, but it wasn't no use. You remember, we got a whole bunch of problems at other airports and ATC centers all over the place, too. In recent summers, the FAA was tellin' airlines to cut back their schedules and the number of flights because there simply weren't enough controllers to handle it all.
HOST: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy - he called for an entirely new air traffic control system, yeah? Do you think that plan cuts the mustard?
MCGEE: Well, I ain't got no opinion about the plan 'cause I ain't seen enough details. I caught every minute of the presentation, and I live-streamed it and tweeted about it. Truth be told, the details are gonna be important. The President jumped on the phone with Duffy and mentioned they're gonna hand one big, beautiful contract to a single company. Now that right there gave me pause, 'cause this ain't a task a company can knock out in a day or two. There's hundreds and hundreds of facilities all across the country that'll be needin' serious attention, not to mention airports in every corner of the land.
HOST: You've been involved with this industry for a while now. Given everything you've seen and heard, how worried are ya about the future of flight safety in this country?
MCGEE: That's a great question, 'cause I'm usually the voice of reason, but I can't help but feel a bit nervous given the recent fumbles. I'm still sayin' that flight safety is the safest form of transportation out there, statistically. But I gotta tell you, I myself am worryin' a little now, 'cause I'm not pickin' up a sense of urgency or a sense of commitment from this administration. We're gettin' some mixed signals from the President, the Secretary, and even Elon Musk. The FAA ain't the place to be swingin' a chainsaw, no way, shape, or form. The FAA's short on staff and short on funds for decades.
HOST: That's aviation honcho, William McGee. Thanks for joining us.
MCGEE: Thank you kindly for having me on. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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Background:
The US air traffic control (ATC) system is struggling with a multitude of issues, primarily due to outdated technology and insufficient funding. Newark Liberty International Airport has experienced frequent failures in its ATC infrastructure recently, prompting concerns about passenger safety. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation have proposed a three-year modernization plan for a new ATC system, with the goal of improving safety, efficiency, and reliability in the national airspace.
Key issues with the current ATC system include:
- Aging technology
- Infrastructure vulnerability
- Funding constraints
- Political and contracting challenges
Modernization efforts aim to:
- Provide adequate funding for infrastructure upgrades
- Build a state-of-the-art ATC system
- Improve safety and operational efficiency nationwide
- The ongoing technology issues at Newark Liberty International Airport, evident in the recent telecom blips causing ground stops, have raised questions about the current state of the nation's air traffic control system, on which aviation expert William McGee commented as the most intricate and largest in the world yet lagging behind other countries due to outdated infrastructure and insufficient technology.
- The need for technological advancements in the air traffic control sector emerged as a crucial topic when Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called for a brand-spanking new air traffic control system, sparking discussions about the potential challenges and implications for finance, general-news, and transportation industries.
