Latest news with #NationalAirspaceSystem
Fox News
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Former air traffic controller: Our air traffic system is being held together with eBay parts
Every day, more than 45,000 commercial flights operate in U.S. airspace. It's one of the largest, busiest and most complex aviation systems in the world, and we are increasing demands and adding pressure to it every single day. Yet, our airspace is running on antiquated technology and outdated equipment in facilities that are decades-old and deteriorating. Add to all of that, the system needs some 3,000 more certified controllers just to meet today's demand. Unless Congress acts with urgency, the National Airspace System (NAS) is going to fall further behind at a time when we are experiencing increased air travel demand and an increased reliance on air cargo shipments. The Senate has a pivotal opportunity to be part of the solution and act on provisions included in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." The House has already taken an important step by passing the bill, which included $12.5 billion for the FAA. That funding is critical. But from the standpoint of day-to-day operations, and from the perspective of the people who actually keep this system running, it's still not enough. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has called that funding a good "down payment." Last week, at a press conference in San Diego, he said, "We are going to need a lot more money, but this is the one vehicle we have to start the build right now. Frankly, I hope the Congress finds more money. … They have the ability to find extra resources and to put it into this mission." Earlier in June, he said that he would like lawmakers to allocate $20 billion as an initial step. Much of the FAA's infrastructure hasn't been updated in decades. Some facilities are still running on analog radar, copper wiring, mechanical switches, floppy discs and paper strips that track flights in some air traffic control facilities. It's not uncommon for essential components to be patched together or sourced from eBay. This isn't sustainable. The system is under strain, but it is being held together by the dedication of its workforce. Yet 41% of certified controllers are working six 10-hour days per week due to shortages. Sites such as the New York TRACON, which currently handles the airspace around JFK and LaGuardia airports, have been operating at barely half their authorized staffing levels since 2023. By raising pay for trainees and streamlining the hiring pipeline, the Department of Transportation has already helped refer more than 8,000 candidates to the FAA aptitude exam. The Senate has a pivotal opportunity to be part of the solution and act on provisions included in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." The House has already taken an important step by passing the bill, which included $12.5 billion for the FAA. That is far more than previous cycles, which retained less than 10% of applicants and trainees. Duffy's team has also taken serious steps to modernize facilities and digitize key systems, replacing World War II-era radar and outdated paper-strip technology with digital alternatives. But none of these reforms can move forward without the U.S. Senate. At his confirmation hearing, FAA nominee Bryan Bedford backed Duffy's assessment that the $12.5 billion included in the House bill falls well short of what is needed to stabilize the system. The Modern Skies coalition, comprised of more than 50 aviation organizations, estimates it will take at least $31 billion to execute Duffy's plan. Without that funding, Bedford warned equipment upgrades will drag on for years, and system breakdowns will grow more frequent. We have an opportunity to change course. If the Senate increases the House's funding commitment — or even closes the gap with a supplemental package — we can begin to build a system capable of meeting modern demand. Our controllers are trained professionals. They're ready. But no one can do this job without the right tools and support. The $12.5 billion in the House bill is a good first step. As Duffy said, "This is the most important infrastructure project we've done in decades, and it needs to be fully funded." The Senate needs to finish the job — not just for the system's integrity, but for the people who make that system safe every day.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Parsons Corporation is Ready Now to Build America's Brand New, State Of-The-Art Air Traffic Control System
Parsons and IBM join forces to design solutions for a national airspace system with enhanced safety and efficiency CHANTILLY, Va., June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced a collaboration to deliver on President Donald Trump's and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's vision for a brand new, state of-the-art air traffic control system. This collaboration directly responds to Secretary Duffy's call for world-class innovators to rapidly spearhead the overhaul of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) National Airspace System (NAS), prioritizing an open vendor agnostic approach that enables the agency to leverage the latest technologies and continuously improve their systems based on real-time feedback and evolving needs. Parsons would serve as the prime contractor and single point of accountability, providing unified leadership and full program responsibility to ensure mission success. A safe, efficient, and modern NAS is the foundation for a reliable U.S. aviation system, supporting travel, economic prosperity, and national security. Encompassing everything from air traffic control and air navigation facilities to airports, regulations, and personnel, the NAS is regarded as the global gold standard of air transportation systems. By combining Parsons' deep FAA experience, proven large-scale program delivery success, and systems engineering and integration capabilities with IBM's federal government and cross industry, systems integration experience, the collaboration aims to respond to Secretary Duffy's bold call to action and lay the foundation for a safer, more resilient aviation ecosystem. 'This partnership represents two American industry leaders bringing together a combined nearly 200 years of experience and expertise in complex program management and systems integration to deliver a state-of-the-art air traffic control system for our nation,' said Carey Smith, Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Parsons Corporation. 'This top priority initiative requires a company that knows the FAA and can hit the ground running to ensure the safety, prosperity and growth of our communities that depend on airspace efficiency. We are excited to collaborate with IBM to ensure that this initiative receives the right expertise to rapidly deliver on the FAA's critical mission. Together, we bring the agility, commitment, and innovation required to transform America's airspace and realize the administration's vision for a safer, stronger, and more efficient air traffic management system.' Parsons, a leading global infrastructure and solutions delivery partner, has planned, designed, constructed, managed, enhanced, and sustained terminal, landside, and airside infrastructure for over 450 airports in 40 countries. The company has been the FAA's infrastructure partner for nearly 50 years and under the FAA's Technical Support Services contract, leveraging its engineering, infrastructure, and project management expertise to support the FAA capital program goals. Under the contract, Parsons implements initiatives across the FAA's Aviation System Capital Improvement Program including project management; infrastructure modernization; systems and equipment installation and testing at more than 600 locations; and health, environmental, engineering, and construction management services. In addition, Parsons was recently rated as the number one program manager by Engineering News Record and one of the top three companies for construction management. 'We are proud to bring our expertise and technology to this once-in-a-generation opportunity,' said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President at IBM. 'In partnership with Parsons, we're excited to respond to the administration's call to help modernize the National Airspace System. This is just the beginning, and our shared commitment to an open approach ensures that we can integrate the best available technologies to build a safe, stable and future ready airspace infrastructure that will serve the nation for decades to come." IBM has served the U.S. federal government for almost its entire 114-year history, providing federal government agencies with the technology and expertise that helps reduce administrative burdens, improve the delivery of citizen services and optimize resources to drive a more efficient and effective government. To learn more about Parsons and IBM's plan to build the FAA's brand new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system, visit About IBMIBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. About Parsons Corporation Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider in the national security and global infrastructure markets, with capabilities across cyber and intelligence, space and missile defense, transportation, environmental remediation, urban development, and critical infrastructure. Please visit and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to learn how we're making an impact. Media contacts IBMBanks Parsons Bryce McDevitt+1 Forward-looking statementThis document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs and assumptions, and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, changes in circumstances, trends and factors that are difficult to predict, many of which are outside of our control. Accordingly, actual performance, results and events may vary materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, and you should not rely on the forward-looking statements as predictions of future performance, results or events. 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Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FAA May Start Charging Rocket Companies for Launching
The Federal Aviation Administration may start charging rocket companies for every launch as part of their launch and re-entry licenses, if a recent budget reconciliation bill passes later this year. The idea behind it is to improve the revenue-generating capabilities of the FAA, in what is becoming a much busier and potentially lucrative space launch industry. The FAA needs to approve commercial launch and re-entry operations, and that means checking over the companies that apply for it. That endeavour has grown more costly over the years, and with the number of launch requests seeing explosive growth, the FAA's $42 million for its Office of Commercial Space Transportation is seen as far from enough for it to continue to function effectively. With the Trump administration's general distaste for budget increases outside of the military, it has proposed cutting a number of NASA and FAA initiatives and fixing governmental funding—effectively making its 2026 budget a real-world budget decrease due to inflation. As Ars Technica points out, this could leave the FAA struggling to meet its demands in the years to come. The proposal to alleviate this problem is to allow the FAA to start charging launch vehicle operators for sharing the skies with commercial aircraft. It would be a fee for each pound of payload mass the rockets were launching, starting with 25 cents per pound in 2026, and rising to $1.50 per pound by 2033. At that point, the fee would rise with inflation, allowing the FAA to seemingly keep pace with future launch cadences. SpaceX has repeatedly complained of delays in the FAA's licensing process. Credit: SpaceX However, to prevent this from stifling innovation of particularly large rockets, the fees would reportedly be capped at $30,000 per launch starting next year, rising to a $200,000 cap in 2033. Considering most rocket launches cost in the millions, if not tens or hundreds of millions, that kind of fee should be a drop in the bucket for most launch vehicle operators while still providing a much-needed form of revenue generation for the agency licensing them. "Nearly every user of the National Airspace System pays something back into the system to help cover their operational costs, yet under current law, space launch companies do not, and there is no mechanism for them to pay even if they wish to," senator and sponsor of the measure, Ted Cruz said in a statement. "As commercial spaceflight expands rapidly, so does its impact on the FAA's ability to operate the National Airspace System. This proposal accounts for that." The bill is still in the early stages, and it's still possible the Trump administration weighs in and tips the scales one way or another. However, as Ars points out, the Trump administration's nominee for the next FAA administrator has backed the proposal, suggesting it may make it through to real legislation.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Floppy Disks and Windows 95: The FAA Needs New Tech
Remember the good ol' days of Windows 95? No? That's because Microsoft ended support for the operating system nearly 25 years ago. Windows has seen several versions come and go since then, but it seems that the Federal Aviation Administration hasn't kept up. According to Windows Central, the FAA is only now planning to phase out the 30-year-old OS. At a budget hearing recently, FAA chief Chris Rocheleau noted that a major tech overhaul is in the planning stages. The FAA will no longer use Windows 95 for air traffic control. Floppy disks, another tech relic, will also be canned—something that should have happened a long time ago, one would think. Paper strips containing plane info will also be replaced by more modern tech—if such an overhaul actually happens. The FAA has good intentions, but raising the money for the upgrade may not be easy. The agency's plan for revamping its technology, laid out in a document titled Brand New Air Traffic Control System: America is Building Again, points to the agency's current budget as inadequate for the task ahead. 'Over the past 15 years, the annual appropriation to the Facilities and Equipment (F&E) account used to sustain and improve most of FAA's air traffic control infrastructure has remained essentially flat at approximately $3 billion per year,' the plan notes. 'This stagnant funding has caused the FAA to lose about $1 billion in purchasing power due to inflation, as the agency seeks to maintain aging systems and infrastructure and meet ambitious goals to modernize the system for increased safety and efficiency of the NAS [National Airspace System].' When it comes to outdated tech, the FAA isn't flying alone. British Airways, which retired its fleet of Boeing 747-400 planes during the COVID pandemic, revealed that the planes had made use of floppy disks the entire time. Never mind that floppy disks only store 1.44MB of data—the airline simply had crew insert up to eight disks to load critical flight information every 28 days. Interestingly, relying on floppy disks to update the avionics may have provided a certain amount of security for what is clearly important data to protect, a la Battlestar Galactica. Modern, remotely updated systems require extra precautions to stay secure. Still, it's a relief to know that modern planes are using newer and (presumably) more capable avionics.
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mosaic ATM Supporting FAA's NOTAM Modernization With CGI Federal
LEESBURG, VIRGINIA / ACCESS Newswire / June 4, 2025 / Mosaic ATM is proud to announce that it has been selected as a key subcontractor to CGI Federal on a major Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiative to modernize the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system - one of the critical components of the National Airspace System (NAS). This modernization effort will enhance aviation safety, efficiency, and resilience, improving how time-sensitive aeronautical information is delivered to NOTAM consumers. CGI Federal's recent award of this contract from the FAA will help deliver a secure, cloud-native, and scalable system. This new platform will facilitate future innovations in NOTAM and Aeronautical Information management and distribution. Mosaic ATM brings its deep experience in aviation operations, data management, systems engineering, and innovative Air Traffic Management technologies to support this ambitious and nationally significant initiative. 'We're excited to bring our operational insight and technical expertise to support CGI Federal and the FAA in transforming how NOTAMs are managed and delivered across the NAS,' said Chris Brinton, President and CEO at Mosaic ATM. This project aligns with Mosaic ATM's mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions that enhance aviation safety and enable the future of air traffic management. Read CGI Federal's full press release here. Contact Information Melissa Rodriguez Digital Marketing Manager [email protected] 305-794-2120 SOURCE: Mosaic ATM press release
