Duffy Attributed the Mishandled Newark Tech Project to Biden and Buttigieg's Mistakes
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans for a temporary reduction in flights at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) due to various issues, as reported during a press conference on Monday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, the FAA disclosed a statement indicating that the airport would experience slower arrivals and departures due to construction on the runway, staffing, and technology concerns at the Philadelphia TRACON radar. The radar briefly experienced an outage last Friday, marking the second time this month.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, during the press conference, attributed the problems to the past administration, accusing former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and President Joe Biden of failing to address the system's deficiencies. He claimed that the previous administration had already shown signs of underlying hardware issues in October and November.
According to Duffy, the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) system, which processes radar data for Newark, remained based in New York despite the move of control of New York-Newark airspace from New York to the Philadelphia TRACON. This move involved data transmission via telecommunications lines from New York to Philadelphia TRACON, where controllers would manage New York arrivals and departures.
Duffy contended that the Biden-Buttigieg FAA had mishandled this transition without properly fortifying the telecom lines, known to be error-prone. He argued that this oversight added unnecessary risks to the system.
Duffy requested an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General to examine the air traffic control move by the Biden administration. If the proposed FAA air traffic control system revamp is approved by Congress, Newark will supposedly be prioritized for infrastructure upgrades.
Meanwhile, the FAA scheduled a delay reduction meeting for Newark for Wednesday morning, open to all scheduled carriers. FAA acting administrator Chris Rocheleau, during the conference, reassured that air travel into Newark remained safe and assured that they were taking steps to monitor the situations related to the mentioned technologies.
Rocheleau highlighted that a task force had been established to address the issues constantly and ensure transparency. He emphasized the need for action, given the past delays and disruptions, and expressed confidence that the new air traffic modernization program would provide long-term and midterm solutions to ensure safe and efficient travel for the American public.
- Secretary Duffy stated during the press conference that the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) system, which processes radar data for Newark, remains based in New York instead of being relocated to the Philadelphia TRACON, despite the control of New York-Newark airspace being moved.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans for a temporary reduction in flights at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) due to various issues, including construction on the runway, staffing, and technology concerns at the Philadelphia TRACON radar.
- Secretary Duffy requested an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General to examine the air traffic control move by the Biden administration, suggesting that they mishandled the transition without properly fortifying the error-prone telecom lines.
- If the proposed FAA air traffic control system revamp is approved by Congress, Newark will likely be prioritized for infrastructure upgrades, as stated during the press conference.
