- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a new effort to boost the number of air traffic controllers in the U.S. Duffy made the remarks after touring the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City this week.
- The administration said it would increase pay for trainees by 30%.
- In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration will work to update outdated technology in the air traffic controller system.
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While President Donald Trump’s administration has focused most of its resources on cutting costs, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it will invest more in the Federal Aviation Administration. On Thursday, Feb. 27, Duffy visited Oklahoma City, toured the FAA Academy and announced the new effort to boost air traffic control resources.
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Have recent place crashes played a role?
A January mid-air collision between an American Airlines aircraft and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport in Washington highlighted FAA shortcomings.
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Since the collision that killed 67 people, several other aviation accidents and incidents have occurred, prompting change at the FAA.
The recent incidents have highlighted the FAA’s largest issue: an air traffic controller shortage.
Reports indicated that only one air traffic controller was on duty during the January collision, despite the fact that others should have been scheduled.
What improvements can the FAA expect?
Speaking in Oklahoma City on Thursday, Duffy announced the FAA would hire additional air traffic controllers. It also said it would increase starting pay for trainees at the FAA Academy by 30%.
The decision to raise salaries aims to streamline hiring and reduce the training process for controllers.
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What about upgrades to technology?
In addition, Duffy said he would ask Congress for billions in funding to upgrade the nation’s aviation technology system. He stated that using floppy disks and old phone jacks is unacceptable.
“We use floppy disks. We have like 1956 phone jacks in our towers,” Duffy said. “This is unacceptable. We are the greatest country on earth and this is the system we use?”
It remains unclear how much funding Duffy will request from Congress.
“This is a critical initial step to making our aviation system safer,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told the Wall Street Journal.
WHILE MOST OF THE NATIONAL ATTENTION HAS BEEN ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S JOB AND SPENDING CUTS, ONE AGENCY THAT CAN EXPECT TO GET A BOOST IS THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY WENT TO OKLAHOMA CITY AND TOURED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ACADEMY ON THURSDAY.
THE ISSUE OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER SHORTAGES CAME TO THE FOREFRONT IN LATE JANUARY WHEN AN AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE AND BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER CRASHED IN MID-AIR AS THE PLANE WAS LANDING AT REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT IN WASHINGTON. 67 PEOPLE DIED. REPORTS INDICATED THERE WAS ONE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ON DUTY, WHEN THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE.
SPEAKING IN OKLAHOMA CITY ON THURSDAY, DUFFY SAID THE FAA WOULD INCREASE STARTING PAY FOR TRAINEES AT THE ONLY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ACADEMY IN THE COUNTRY, BY 30 %, STREAMLINE HIRING AND SHORTEN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING CONTROLLERS.
IN ADDITION, THE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SAID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO UPGRADE THE NATION’S AVIATION SYSTEM WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY.
Duffy said, “We use floppy disks. We have like 1956 phone jacks in our towers. This is unacceptable. We are the greatest country on earth and this is the system which we use?”
IT IS NOT YET CLEAR, HOW MUCH FUNDING, DUFFY WILL ASK CONGRESS FOR. AMERICAN AIRLINES CHIEF EXECUTIVE ROBERT ISOM TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL QUOTE “ THIS IS A CRITICAL INITIAL STEP TO MAKING OUR AVIATION SYSTEM SAFER.”
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