On Wednesday, the FAA said it would temporarily cut minimum flight requirements for airlines to keep take-off and landing slots at congested New York City-area airports and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to address summer congestion issues.
National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Rich Santa said last week there are 1,200 fewer certified air traffic controllers than a decade ago. The FAA faces an air traffic control staffing shortage and wants funding to boost controller numbers. The FAA plans to work with the air traffic controllers union "to reinforce existing safety protocols, especially those that help increase situational awareness," Arel said, adding the FAA would re-examine runway incursion data to identify underlying factors that led to the close calls and to find fixes. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy said last month a FedEx (FDX.N) cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) plane had come within 100 feet of each other in what could have been a "terrible tragedy."
Unmatched air traffic control update#
Six serious runway incursions since January prompted the agency to convene a safety summit last week.Īrel said the FAA would ensure that supervisors devote their full attention to the operation and airfield during peak traffic periods, provide more dedicated training for unusual circumstances and update simulator software for the first time since 2016. On Wednesday, the FAA issued a separate safety alert to airlines, pilots and others citing the "need for continued vigilance and attention to mitigation of safety risks." "There is no question that we are seeing too many close calls," FAA Air Traffic Organization Chief Operating Officer Tim Arel said in a message to employees reviewed by Reuters.
Unmatched air traffic control series#
WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday it was taking steps to improve its air traffic control operations after a series of near-miss incidents raised questions about U.S.
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