Air traffic control issues and recurring accidents in Newark highlight the concern over controller shortages and outdated equipment.
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Navigating Newark's Air Traffic Tangle - An Ongoing Saga
The towering delays and cancellations plaguing New Jersey's busiest airport, Newark Liberty International, have shed light on the scarcity of air traffic controllers and the antiquated gadgets they're expected to manage. Dubbed as a pressing priority by President Donald Trump's administration, a modern upgrade of the equipment is awaited.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in a bid to quell the unrest at Newark, is devising an interim strategy that includes technical repairs and reduced flights to maintain manageable traffic levels amid the controller shortage. They recently held discussions with applicable airlines to lay out their plans, with further correspondence scheduled for the subsequent day.
Lamentably, Newark has become a focal point in aviation, ever since the tragic mid-air collision of a commercial jet and a U.S. military helicopter above Washington D.C. in early January, and an array of subsequent crashes and mishaps since. Investigations for these incidents continue, while the Department of Transportation strives to rectify long-standing concerns of a controller deficit and reliance on obsolete hardware. Wednesday's Senate hearing underscored the FAA's endeavors.
The Newark Nightmare - The Inside Scoop
Twice within the past three weeks, the primary radar and communication system used by air traffic controllers in Philadelphia, who regulate planes in and out of Newark, suffered temporary failure. This catastrophe occurred when the main line carrying the radar signal from another FAA facility in New York went kaput, and the backup line inexplicably malfunctioned. As a result, the controllers were left in a quandary, unable to communicate with or visually monitor planes around Newark for up to 90 seconds on two occasions. On a third instance, the backup system took action, keeping the radar system intact.
During Wednesday's Senate hearing, the FAA's air traffic control head, Frank McIntosh, argued that he believes flight safety was preserved due to preliminary instructions given to pilots, but acknowledged that such Interruptions can be alarmingly long. McIntosh deemed these disruptions unacceptable and emphasized the need for improved contingencies to eradicate even a fragment of that risk.
The initial failure triggered a rash of stress-induced leaves among approximately five to seven controllers, worsening the existing dearth of personnel at the Philadelphia control facility. In response, the FAA executed a series of measures to control the volume of flights entering Newark daily.
Battling the Controller Shortfall - The FAA's Crusade
Presently, there are 22 fully certified controllers and five supervisors stationed at Newark in the Philadelphia facility. But the FAA aims to boost this number to 38. At present, 21 controllers are undergoing training at Newark, with 10 of them qualified on at least a portion of the stretch.
Tackling the Crisis - The FAA's Response Strategy
To minimize the impact of the ongoing crisis, the FAA has reduced the number of flights in Newark to between 24 and 28 arrivals and the same number of departures every hour, ensuring the remaining controllers can manage the traffic safely. During periods of lean staffing, the FAA has cut the number of flights even further. Before the difficulties, 38 or 39 flights would take off and land every hour in Newark.
Throughout the current crisis, meetings with all the airlines involved are being concentrated on a plan that entails maintaining a limit of no more than 28 takeoffs and landings each hour until at least mid-June. By then, a runway construction project ought to be completed, and the controllers who took trauma leave should return to duty. Afterwards, the FAA has expressed confidence that it might be able to boost the limit to 34 arrivals and 34 departures each hour.
Meanwhile, the number of daily flights at Newark must be reduced due to the airport's inability to accommodate everyone on the schedule. This explains why Newark has been leading the nation in cancellations and delays over the recent weeks, with over a hundred flights cancelled on Wednesday. After the FAA holds consultations with the airlines, it's likely to make a decision no earlier than May 28.
The FAA has been able to install new fiber optic lines at Newark and the two other major airports in the New York area - Kennedy International and LaGuardia - but these are still being tested and won't be activated until the end of the month. Officials also managed to upgrade some software last week, preventing the radar from going offline a third time on Sunday when the primary line failed again.
Longer-term, the FAA plans to construct a new radar system in Philadelphia, relieving the pressure on controllers to rely on a signal piped down from New York. However, it may take months for this project to be completed, although officials are attempting to speed up the process. As an additional measure, a third data line is being added as a backup.
McIntosh stated during the Senate hearing that similar systems are stationed across the nation with a main line and a backup line carrying radar data to controllers. "I haven't encountered a failure like this to this extent in my memory," he added.
Recruiting More Controllers - The Uphill Battle
The FAA has been striving to recruit more air traffic controllers to replace retiring staff and handle the mounting air traffic. However, it can be challenging to find qualified candidates given the stressful nature of the job, and it takes years to train controllers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has taken various measures to enhance recruitment efforts. The FAA aims to trim the delay between when someone applies to the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City and when they start, as well as improve the graduation rate there by offering more support to the students. Candidates with the highest test scores are also being prioritized. The FAA is also offering bonuses to experienced controllers opting not to retire early and continuing their service to alleviate the deficit.
More high-tech simulation centers are also being employed across the nation, including Newark, to train air traffic controllers. The FAA announced Tuesday that controllers tend to complete their training more rapidly when they use one of the 111 simulators it has developed.
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- The technology sector, represented by Microsoft, announced a restructuring that led to the layoff of 1,985 employees in Seattle, amounting to 3% of its global workforce.
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