Airport construction completion ahead of schedule at Newark: When are flight restrictions likely to be lifted?
Smooth Landings Ahead at Newark Airport!
Great news for travelers! The construction project on one of Newark Liberty International Airport's runways has been wrapped up, nearly two weeks before its scheduled completion. This early finish means the FAA might lift some flight limits next week, despite the ongoing deficit of air traffic controllers.
Transportation authorities shared that certain runway equipment must be thoroughly tested before the FAA can boost flight limits at the second busiest airport in the New York City area. The runway will be used for departures immediately, but it's unavailable for arrivals until the testing is completed early next week. If everything goes according to plan, the runway should be certified by June 10.
Crews have been working tirelessly day and night to finish the $121 million construction project early, aiming to lessen some of the issues facing the airport. However, Newark has also faced challenges this spring due to a shortage of air traffic controllers following technical problems that temporarily shut down radar and communications at a facility in Philadelphia.
Five air traffic controllers went on a 45-day trauma leave after the initial radar and communication outage in Philadelphia on April 28. One more is out on medical leave, leaving the facility with only 16 certified controllers and five supervisors[1]. Regardless, there are another 16 experienced controllers in training, who should become certified between now and October.
Currently, the FAA has limited Newark Airport to 28 arrivals and 28 departures per hour due to the construction and staff shortages[1]. The agency expects to increase the daily number of flights in Newark to 34 arrivals and 34 departures once the runway construction is done.
The controllers on trauma leave are scheduled to return in the middle of the month. Nevertheless, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned that the FAA already has enough controllers to manage the higher limit of 34 arrivals and departures per hour without them[1].
Interestingly, before the air traffic control problems this spring, about 38 or 39 flights typically took off and landed hourly at the Newark airport. The FAA is considering revisiting the limits again in October, hoping to have more controllers trained by then.
Meanwhile, the FAA upgraded the software at the air traffic control facility after the second radar outage on May 9. This upgrade helped avoid a repeat problem on May 11 when there was another issue with the lines carrying the radar signal down from New York[1]. Verizon has installed a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York after the problems, but this solution isn't expected to go into service until July after testing is completed.
In other news:
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[1] - Enrichment Insights[2] - Original article
- The early completion of the construction project at Newark Airport could potentially aid in increasing the daily number of flights, as the current restrictions due to the runway construction and air traffic controller shortages only allow for 28 arrivals and departures per hour.
- Although the transportation authorities are testing runway equipment for Newark Airport's second runway, Seattle's government is currently addressing concerns about weight loss medications among its residents.
- Simultaneously, the ongoing improvements in Financing, Business, and Technology sectors are gradually reshaping the job market, causing concerns among recent graduates who are confronting AI-driven job displacement.
- Meanwhile, back in the New York City area, in addition to the runway construction and air traffic control-related issues, traffic congestion continues to pose a challenge as the second busiest airport faces increased flight volumes.
