On Thursday, Elon Musk pleaded for “first-class” air traffic controllers to step out of retirement, helping to alleviate a shortage of skilled air workers as a public concern over flight safety mounts.
Musk, the face of the government's cost-reduction task force, has taken special interest in remodeling the Federal Aviation Administration, seeking “.Fast Safety Upgrade To the air traffic control system. ”
But the fear of the country's aviation system grew after a fatal DC plane crash and a series of nearby mistakes. Musk urged retired air traffic controllers to call back to the tower.
“There's a shortage of top air traffic controllers,” Musk said Thursday. x's posthis social media platform.
“If you've retired, but you can return to work, consider doing so.”
The FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Earlier this month, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy praised the government's efficiency, or the team's team. Help with “upgrades” Aviation system. Duffy then began firing around 400 FAA staff members, “they've let go of air traffic controllers and important safety personnel.”
The layoffs included personnel hired for maintenance of FAA radar, landings and navigation aids. According to the Associated Press.
The ulling by Duffy came weeks after a fatal air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
On January 29th, an American Airlines jet was preparing to land when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter.
All 64 passengers on the plane were killed, including a young figure skater who had returned from skate camp.
Over the next few weeks, concerns have been growing from panicked passengers, as the disasters of several other planes have led to increased concern.
On February 17, Delta Air Lines jets were turned upside down, losing their wings and slid down along the snowy Toronto runway, plunging into flames.
All 80 passengers on board survived, with the injured suffering minor injuries.
Earlier this week, after takeoff, Delta flights were forced to turn around and return to Atlanta.
The incident comes just two days after another delta jet heading for Australia was forced to return to Los Angeles when smoke was detected in the hollow of the plane's galley.
It also forced it to cancel landings at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport and Chicago's Midway International Airport this week, avoiding a collision with two other planes on the runway.
The shocking footage of the near miss incident in Chicago went viral on social media.
Experts suggest that the growing media coverage is responsible for the perceived aviation crisis.
“Accidents from social media platforms are on the rise,” says Marcochan, a former pilot and senior lecturer at Buckinghamshire News University. I told the BBC.
