Latest news with #FranklinMcIntosh
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Denver air traffic lost communications for about two minutes on Monday
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday that Denver air traffic control lost communications for about two minutes on Monday, but was able to maintain contact through an emergency frequency. FAA communications failures have gained attention due to a series of telecom outages at the facility overseeing Newark air traffic that shook public confidence. Unlike the 28 April incident at the facility that handles Newark traffic, radar screens did not go blank in Denver. Franklin McIntosh, the FAA's deputy head of air traffic control, said during a US House of Representatives hearing that at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center, both the main and backup frequencies failed for about two minutes, but a controller was then able to transmit to the aircraft to move to a secondary frequency. He said there was no loss of separation between airplanes during the outage. 'They did exactly what the safety protocols were,' McIntosh said. 'Anytime there are these outages, which are happening more regularly now, it is very concerning,' said Robert Garcia, a California Democratic representative, at the FAA oversight hearing. Issues like the one in Denver are not uncommon given aging equipment. A report last year from the Government Accountability Office said the FAA has 138 information systems for air traffic control and 51 are unsustainable due to outdated functionality, a lack of spare parts and other issues. The report called for the agency to take 'urgent action'. The FAA told the GAO last year it did not plan to complete modernization projects on many systems for at least a decade. The FAA said it is investigating after part of the center experienced a loss of communications around 1.50pm in Denver, when both transmitters that cover a segment of airspace went down. 'Controllers used another frequency to relay instructions to pilots. Aircraft remained safely separated and there were no impacts to operations,' the FAA said. The FAA relocated control of Newark airspace to Philadelphia last year to address staffing and congested New York City area traffic. But the FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers below targeted staffing levels. The latest incidents highlight the air traffic control network's aging infrastructure and come after the US transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, last week proposed spending billions of dollars to fix it over the next three to four years.
CNN
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
FAA meeting with Pentagon officials as agency considers new restrictions on military helicopter flights near DCA
The Federal Aviation Administration is meeting with Pentagon officials Thursday as the agency is considering slapping new restrictions on military helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport. 'Everything's on the table right now,' FAA Deputy Chief Operating Officer Franklin McIntosh told a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. McIntosh said that the FAA is now reviewing helicopter flights transporting military officials on non-emergency missions and is discussing 'possible restrictions' with the Department of Defense. The new moves follow the closure of the helicopter route that was in use at the time of the January 29 midair collision of a US Army Blackhawk helicopter on a training flight and a landing American Airlines regional flight, killing 67 people. On May 1, a helicopter from the same Army unit landing at the Pentagon caused air traffic controllers to order 'immediate go-arounds' for two nearby commercial flights. The FAA revealed in a congressional hearing Wednesday the 'hotline' between air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Pentagon, intended to coordinate aircraft, has not worked since March 2022. After he was grilled by a Senate committee Wednesday, McIntosh insisted to Thursday's House committee hearing that the hotline will be repaired. 'That allows for immediate notification to the controllers,' McIntosh said. 'The issue really is making sure that that hotline is fixed.' The FAA was not aware the direct line was broken until a May 1 incident where a helicopter circled the Pentagon and caused two flights to abort landings, McIntosh testified Wednesday. Military flights to the Pentagon have been suspended since the incident and will not resume until the hotline is fixed, McIntosh said.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
FAA says Denver air traffic briefly lost communications on Monday
By David Shepardson (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that Denver air traffic control lost communications for about two minutes on Monday but was able to maintain contact through an emergency frequency. Franklin McIntosh, the FAA's deputy head of air traffic control, said during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing that at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center both the main and backup frequencies failed for about two minutes but a controller was then able to transmit to the aircraft to move to a secondary frequency. He said there was no loss of separation between airplanes during the outage. "Anytime there are these outages, which are happening more regularly now, it is very concerning," said Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, at an FAA oversight hearing. The FAA said in a written statement it is investigating after part of the center experienced a loss of communications around 1:50 p.m. in Denver, when both transmitters that cover a segment of airspace went down. "Controllers used another frequency to relay instructions to pilots. Aircraft remained safely separated and there were no impacts to operations," the FAA said. FAA communications failures have gained urgent attention due to a series of telecom outages at the facility overseeing Newark air traffic after three incidents have shaken public confidence. The FAA relocated control of the Newark airspace to Philadelphia last year to address staffing and congested New York City area traffic. But the FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers below targeted staffing levels. The latest incidents highlight the air traffic control network's aging infrastructure and come after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week proposed spending billions of dollars to fix it over the next three to four years.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FAA meeting with Pentagon officials as agency considers new restrictions on military helicopter flights near DCA
The Federal Aviation Administration is meeting with Pentagon officials Thursday as the agency is considering slapping new restrictions on military helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport. 'Everything's on the table right now,' FAA Deputy Chief Operating Officer Franklin McIntosh told a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. McIntosh said that the FAA is now reviewing helicopter flights transporting military officials on non-emergency missions and is discussing 'possible restrictions' with the Department of Defense. The new moves follow the closure of the helicopter route that was in use at the time of the January 29 midair collision of a US Army Blackhawk helicopter on a training flight and a landing American Airlines regional flight, killing 67 people. On May 1, a helicopter from the same Army unit landing at the Pentagon caused air traffic controllers to order 'immediate go-arounds' for two nearby commercial flights. The FAA revealed in a congressional hearing Wednesday the 'hotline' between air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Pentagon, intended to coordinate aircraft, has not worked since March 2022. After he was grilled by a Senate committee Wednesday, McIntosh insisted to Thursday's House committee hearing that the hotline will be repaired. 'That allows for immediate notification to the controllers,' McIntosh said. 'The issue really is making sure that that hotline is fixed.' The FAA was not aware the direct line was broken until a May 1 incident where a helicopter circled the Pentagon and caused two flights to abort landings, McIntosh testified Wednesday. Military flights to the Pentagon have been suspended since the incident and will not resume until the hotline is fixed, McIntosh said.
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
FAA says Denver air traffic briefly lost communications on Monday
May 15 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that Denver air traffic control lost communications for about two minutes on Monday but was able to maintain contact through an emergency frequency. Franklin McIntosh, the FAA's deputy head of air traffic control, said during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing that at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center both the main and backup frequencies failed for about two minutes but a controller was then able to transmit to the aircraft to move to a secondary frequency. He said there was no loss of separation between airplanes during the outage. "Anytime there are these outages, which are happening more regularly now, it is very concerning," said Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, at an FAA oversight hearing. The FAA said in a written statement it is investigating after part of the center experienced a loss of communications around 1:50 p.m. in Denver, when both transmitters that cover a segment of airspace went down. "Controllers used another frequency to relay instructions to pilots. Aircraft remained safely separated and there were no impacts to operations," the FAA said. FAA communications failures have gained urgent attention due to a series of telecom outages at the facility overseeing Newark air traffic after three incidents have shaken public confidence. The FAA relocated control of the Newark airspace to Philadelphia last year to address staffing and congested New York City area traffic. But the FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers below targeted staffing levels. The latest incidents highlight the air traffic control network's aging infrastructure and come after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week proposed spending billions of dollars to fix it over the next three to four years.
