Recent prolonged delays and cancellations at New Jersey’s largest airport underscore the shortage of air traffic controllers and obsolete equipment that the administration of President Donald Trump aims to upgrade.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is implementing short-term solutions for the Newark Airport situation, including technical adjustments and measures to simplify traffic management, alongside addressing the controller shortage. Officials met with airline representatives on Wednesday to discuss strategies for Newark operations, with ongoing discussions carrying into Thursday.
Even prior to these challenges, aviation has been under scrutiny since the tragic air collision involving a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter over Washington, D.C. in January, along with a series of subsequent accidents. Investigations into these incidents are ongoing, but the U.S. Department of Transportation lacks sufficient air traffic controllers and has outdated equipment. A Senate hearing on Wednesday concentrated on FAA initiatives.
What transpired in Newark?
In the past two and a half weeks, there were two instances of temporary failure in the radar and communication system that Philadelphia air traffic controllers rely on for directing flights to and from Newark. This failure occurred due to a malfunction in the primary radar signal line from an FAA facility in New York, with the backup line also failing to function promptly.
As a result, controllers lost communication with an aircraft for 90 seconds during its approach near Newark Liberty International Airport on April 28th and May 9th. One section of the line was an outdated copper wire, and it failed again on Sunday; fortunately, the backup system worked and the radar remained operational.
Frank McIntosh, head of FAA air traffic controllers, assured safety at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, yet acknowledged that for those 90 seconds, radar displays were either blank or communication with the aircraft was lost.
“I don’t believe there’s a significant risk to the flying public, but from my perspective, we aim to eliminate all risks entirely,” McIntosh stated. “That’s what’s concerning me. We need to mitigate those risks better and ensure our contingency measures are more robust.”
The initial series of outages resulted in five to seven controllers taking 45 days of traumatic leave, further worsening the staffing issues at the Philadelphia control facility, leading the FAA to limit daily flights out of Newark.
The FAA currently has 22 fully certified air traffic controllers and five supervisors stationed at the Newark facility under Philadelphia, but aims to have 38 controllers there. Additionally, 21 trainees are currently in training, with 10 having been certified for certain areas.
Flight Restrictions in Newark
The FAA has swiftly restricted Newark’s flight departures to match the number of arrivals (24-28), ensuring that the remaining controllers can manage traffic safely. On particularly lean staffing days, like Monday, the FAA further curtailed operations. Prior to these issues, Newark’s hourly flight activity was around 38 or 39 takeoffs and landings.
McIntosh informed the Senate on Monday that only three controllers were available during one particularly busy hour, resulting in average delays exceeding 90 minutes, as the FAA aimed to remain below the minimum staffing level of seven controllers.
Officials are focusing on maintaining these flight limits until at least mid-June while ongoing meetings with airlines take place. By that point, the runway construction project should conclude and controllers who have been on leave are expected to return. The FAA indicated that it could consider increasing the limit to 34 arrivals and departures per hour afterward.
However, airports are unable to accommodate everyone on their schedules, necessitating a reduction in daily flights. Consequently, Newark has frequently ranked highest in the nation for cancellations and delays in recent weeks, including over 100 flights canceled on Wednesday. The FAA plans to provide a decision by May 28th after assessing schedules with the airlines.
The FAA conducted discussions with United Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Newark. United, which operates a major hub in Newark, has voiced the need for better FAA management of airport schedules and has already cut 35 daily flights from its Newark operations.
Additionally, the FAA has commenced installing new fiber optic cables at Newark Airport and two other major New York area airports—Kennedy International and LaGuardia—but these systems are still undergoing testing and will not be operational until the end of the month. Some software updates were made last week to the radar system, addressing issues with the primary line that had gone offline.
In the long term, the FAA also plans to develop a new radar system in Philadelphia, eliminating reliance on signals transmitted from New York. However, this project may take months to complete, though authorities are working with contractors to expedite the process. A third data line has also been installed at the facility as an additional backup.
McIntosh mentioned that similar systems are in place across the nation, with backup lines supporting the primary radar data sent to controllers.
Hiring More Controllers
The FAA has long been engaged in efforts to recruit more air traffic controllers to cope with retirements and increasing air traffic volumes. However, finding suitable candidates for such high-pressure roles is challenging, and training can take years.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy has implemented several strategies to expedite the hiring of additional controllers. The FAA is working to lessen the wait time between application to the Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City and the commencement of training, privileging candidates with the highest entrance exam scores.
To encourage early retirements while mitigating the shortage, the FAA offers bonuses to experienced controllers.
High-tech simulators are also being utilized across the country, including at Newark, to facilitate training for air traffic controllers. The FAA shared on Tuesday that controllers tend to complete their training more efficiently when utilizing one of the 111 simulators.
“These new simulators provide air traffic control trainees with a modern environment to learn, develop, and apply skills,” noted Chris Rochero, acting manager.
Addressing Outdated Equipment
The Transportation Agency intends to request billions of dollars from Congress to revamp air traffic control systems nationwide. This includes replacing 618 radars, installing 4,600 new high-speed connections, and upgrading all computer systems related to air traffic control. The exact funding requirement has yet to be clarified.
Duffy criticized the previous administration under President Joe Biden for failing to modernize the air traffic control system, highlighting that Congress has struggled to keep pace with increasing flight volumes since the 1990s. Biden’s former Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, defended efforts to enhance some technologies and expand the workforce of air traffic controllers.
At a recent press conference addressing plans, Duffy showcased some of the aging computer hardware relied upon by controllers, using vivid metaphors to depict its obsolescence; he remarked that the equipment looks like it belongs in the 1995 film “Apollo 13” and compared it to a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle.
Source: apnews.com