To keep the skies safe, the FAA needs a makeover

Thanks to Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is finally getting the makeover it deserves with a sense of urgency that is unprecedented.  

Duffy has pledged "massive upgrades" to our nation’s air traffic control system within the next 18 months. These upgrades, including addressing the air traffic controller shortage, modernizing aging technology and prioritizing upgrades that most support safety, are long overdue.

Although "close calls" and aviation incidents are getting more attention in the news after the tragedy at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, the fact is that what we are seeing today is the accumulated effect of decades of under-funding and same old same old processes. Now is the time for a call to attention to keep the United States the gold standard when it comes to aviation safety.

Silhouette commercial airplane take off over airport control tower at sunset (iStock)

I am an author of the FAA’s Safety Review Team (SRT) report, and in it we rang the bell as loud as we could to draw attention to the urgent need to address the staffing, technology and funding of the system.

SEAN DUFFY: AMERICA’S AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS NEED AN URGENT UPGRADE

As the industry has noted over the past decade, delaying FAA modernization is not without risk. Using paper strips and floppy disks to track flights was unacceptable 10 years ago; it is outrageous today.

As one former DOT engineer explained, the current system "is a patchwork of archaic software languages hosted on different ancient platforms that are not supportable with current operating systems or computer hardware." They don’t even teach people in schools how to repair the stuff the FAA is running today.

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Compounding these modernization challenges, the nation’s air traffic control shortage continues to worsen. According to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, about half of air traffic controllers work six days a week, 10 hours a day. And still, air traffic control towers are understaffed, and progress has not been made to change that.

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In fact, the Department of Transportation inspector general reported that its "audit work shows that FAA’s lack of a plan to address these staffing challenges limits the capacity of the [National Airspace System]." The good news is that Secretary Duffy has already announced changes to streamlining hiring and increasing pay for controllers.

It’s a first step in a long road, but his energetic focus is a breath of fresh air. As Duffy said, "Government takes eight, 10, 15 years to upgrade systems, and that’s the enemy of progress."

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The status quo of taking decades to modernize antiquated systems and fully staff air traffic control facilities can no longer fly. It must be a priority for the Trump administration.

So, what can be done? As a first step, let’s call this what it is: an emergency.

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Like any emergency, it deserves robust emergency funding for system modernization as well as workforce hiring and training. But that is just a stopgap measure.

Over the long term, Congress must provide stable funding for the FAA’s budget so that it can address these priorities in a timely and uninterrupted manner. Every threat of a government shutdown, even ones that don’t ultimately occur, costs the FAA tens of millions of dollars.

The entrance to the FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2024. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)

Secondly, it is clear that air traffic controllers need new hiring streams and training programs. And while hiring initiatives like direct-to-facility training are an important start, the FAA must address its "higher than expected" attrition issues due to retirement and air traffic controllers leaving due to the job’s mental toll.

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In our SRT work, we found that our current hiring and training processes can barely keep up with retirements and attrition, delivering a workforce in 2032 that is almost the same as today’s.

After recent incidents, those that travel regularly for work or to see family members are wondering if it is truly safe to fly. While air travel is the safest mode of travel and much safer than driving a car, Americans are looking for reassurance that it will stay that way.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and President Donald Trump shake hands during a news conference in the White House briefing room on Jan. 30. Duffy said Trump will get the "first sneak peek" of the new air traffic control system. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Let me be clear: Flying is safe. But aviation often sacrifices efficiency to preserve safety.

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Air traffic controllers slow air traffic to keep the system safe. So, you may be badly delayed, but we’ll never compromise your safety.

Thankfully, Secretary Duffy recognizes the urgency of the matter and the costly inefficiencies of the status quo. Now, it is time for the administration to put these words into action and, with strong congressional support, create an air traffic control system that we can be proud of.

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