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Like all Americans, the country's aviation sector is united in grief over recent aviation accidents. Safety is so woven in every aspect of our operations and culture that these unusual tragic moments will shake us to the heart. With many overlapping layers of security, commercial air travel remains the safest mode of transport in America. However, there is no upper limit to improvements, and the events earlier this year serve as a sad, jarring reminder that we will never be satisfied.
The dedication that both President Donald Trump and Sean Duffy from both the Department of Transport (DOT) dedication to directly confronting the stagnation that has been hindering the modernization of air traffic control systems for decades has already been a source of encouragement. Addressing the key challenges facing the ATC system requires an unwavering, bipartisan commitment of government leadership.
I testified this week before the House Transport and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, and was repeatedly asked by the House members what Congress should do in the future. What we need from Congress is persistent pressure to monitor and focus on the FAA to deal with the long-standing shortage of ATC staff and act urgently to modernize facilities and critical equipment.
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Now, in the wake of the tragedy, Congress and the Trump administration have windows of opportunity to achieve historically meaningful change. These actions summarise the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to obtain emergency funding proposals signed to legislation that guarantee long-term fixes to the budgeting process that will allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to plan well-skilled labor forces (controllers and engineers), modern technology, and long-term capital projects.
In June 2023, a general survey by DOT inspectors found that “FAA continues to face staffing challenges and have no plans to address them. And the chronic staffing shortages are getting worse. At the end of 2024, there was a 9% drop due to fewer certified professional controllers (CPCs) than at the end of 2012.
The FAA must expand its capabilities at the FAA's Oklahoma Training Academy and accelerate the advancement of employment and training controllers by enhancing air transport's University Training Initiative (AT-ECTI) over the next 7-10 years. Capacity can be improved by increasing the academy's operating hours and providing training in other appropriate FAA facilities and providing training through a virtual platform. You need to acquire and implement a new cutting-edge training system, including high fidelity simulators that can improve efficient training and reduce CPC certification time by 30%.
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For that part, the FAA must maximize the efficiency of such funds. For example, unnecessary and outdated curriculum should be eliminated. Given the current 50% failure rate for the academy, a more effective ATC skill assessment test should be developed to better predict candidates' success abilities before they enter training. The FAA should also consider incentive programs for controllers to pass medical and currency exams and stay at work past their eligible retirement date. This offers the short-term advantage of having a more experienced controller when hiring a spool.
Replacing the outdated technology that runs the ATC system requires a large federal investment, but it is not worth it to support the highest standard of safety for everyone who uses the airspace of our country. Selling old and outdated technologies and facilities reduces costs and inefficiencies while enhancing America's competitiveness.
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In the short term, investments should be consistent with a risk-based approach. Some examples include Notam upgrades (notifying pilots of changes in air traffic, such as closed runways) and other critical/aging systems ensure stabilization and contingency of services.
Your communications network needs to be upgraded urgently. Improved investments in radar, towers and facilities should be prioritized based on traffic, risk and age. This should include HVAC and backup power supplies.
Given that most delays are being generated in New York airspace, aging techniques for routed planes in and out of NYC airspace will need to be redesigned, including the ability to reroute quickly. You need to invest in technology that will improve pilot situational awareness and provide more accurate and reliable interval management.
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To enable the FAA to plan long-term capital projects, long-term revisions to the budgeting process are required. The FAA is funded by the Airport and Airways Trust Fund (AATF), which is funded by aviation fuel tax, ticket tax and several other fees. These funds can only be used by the FAA through traditional Congressional expenditure budgets and are subject to discretionary spending restrictions in all federal budgets. As a result, the FAA budget is completely unpredictable, and aviation competes with residential, rail, or other discretionary items for limited discretionary funding.
It is utmost important that Congress, administration and the aviation community gather together, embracing bold and critical action, and not waste this opportunity to enhance aviation safety.
