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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Buying replacement parts on eBay, making new parts with 3D printers and ...: Transport secretary tells how deep FAA troubles run
Representative Image US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has informed lawmakers that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is purchasing replacement parts on eBay and using 3D printers to manufacture components for its ageing technology systems. This procurement strategy highlights the challenges facing the nation's air safety system, which is currently under review for its older technology and persistent staffing problems. Secretary Duffy disclosed these practices during a Senate hearing, which took place as the Donald Trump administration looks for a major three-year overhaul of the US air traffic control system . This proposed modernisation plan is estimated to cost "lots of billions" and would involve replacing hundreds of radars, constructing over a dozen new control towers, and implementing a new telecommunications system. Such an undertaking would likely require Congress to appropriate additional funds for the FAA. Last week, Duffy had stated on "Meet The Press" that the FAA has turned to eBay and 3D printing due to the unavailability of new parts for some of the agency's older systems. What US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about the FAA's current condition In the latest Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Duffy told members: "We do try to buy replacement parts on eBay for this really old equipment. Sometimes, we can't even buy it on eBay, so we're trying to use 3D printing to craft replacement parts for the system that we use.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dosti™ Eastern Bay starting ₹2.83 Cr+* At Wadala, Mumbai Dosti Realty Book Now Undo Duffy added that although US air travel remains safe thanks to 'multiple redundancies,' he admitted that the air traffic control system requires an overhaul. "The system we currently use, it truly is 25, 35, 40 years old in some places. We should've paid way more attention to it as a country. We've let it age, and now we're seeing the cracks of that age play out in real time for us,' Duffy noted. Duffy also rejected claims that recent FAA job cuts jeopardised air safety, noting that while the agency laid off several hundred probationary staff and offered voluntary buyouts, 'the layoffs and voluntary buyouts … excluded safety positions.' He highlighted that no air traffic controllers were cut, despite concerns from a union that earlier reductions affected mechanics and specialists supporting controllers and inspectors. "We've been hiring air traffic controllers as quickly as we can," Duffy said to US lawmakers. The FAA's technological and staffing situations have drawn attention following recent air safety incidents and operational disruptions. These include a January collision between a commercial jet and a military helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport that resulted in fatalities, and in recent weeks, the FAA facility near Newark Liberty International Airport has experienced staffing shortages and equipment outages, contributing to delays at the airport. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Flights across America thrown into chaos after another terrifying close call at one of US' busiest airports
After another terrifying power outage at New Jersey 's Newark Airport, airlines and federal officials are reportedly planning to slash flights at the busy travel hub. Air traffic controllers' radar screens went dark for 90 seconds early Friday morning in a close call that nearly became a midair disaster. The momentary power outage hit at 3:55am ET, when air traffic was luckily very light. However, it was the second blackout in two weeks at Newark, which is relying on radar data coming from centers in Philadelphia due to staffing shortages. Now, airline executives and US transportation officials are reportedly planning to meet to work on a plan that will shift air traffic away from the beleaguered airport. According to Bloomberg, carriers would voluntarily cut the number of flights heading to Newark for a limited period, potentially affecting millions of travelers. According to Flightaware, there were 140 cancellations and 401 flight delays reported after the radar outage at Newark as of 4pm ET Friday. It's the second radar blackout to hit Newark in the past two weeks. The previous outage truck the airport's air traffic control tower on April 28, causing computer screens to go dark for 60 to 90 seconds and leading to more chaos and delays. Newark is the second-busiest airport in the New York-New Jersey area, behind only JFK Airport, catering to nearly 49 million travelers in 2024. Days after the April 28 incident, an air traffic controller at Newark Airport warned flyers to stay away from the New Jersey airport. The unnamed source told NBC's Tom Costello: 'It's not a safe situation for the flying public!' 'Don't fly into Newark. Avoid Newark at all costs,' the air traffic controller added. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement on X Friday, revealing the blackout was caused by a 'telecommunications outage' at Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Area C. This control center, located 90 miles away at the Philadelphia International Airport, manages air traffic for Newark Airport and smaller airports nearby. US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the latest radar blackout that "Enough is enough." "The connection between New York air space and the Philadelphia air traffic control center must be fixed now. The back up system that is not working must be fixed. Now," New York's senior senator added, according to a statement shared with reporters on X. "The skies over New York City are some of the busiest in the world. This cannot happen again," Schumer said. Before Friday's blackout, the FAA said it would install a temporary backup system at the Philadelphia radar facility while they sped up work on upgrading their communications infrastructure at the site. According to Bloomberg, the discussions for slashing service out of Newark Airport are scheduled to begin in the next few weeks. During the blackout Friday, air traffic controllers were reportedly overheard telling a FedEx cargo plane their radars screens were offline. They allegedly told the plane's pilots to put pressure on their company to help get the problems fixed. A private jet was also reportedly told to stay above 3,000 feet because the air traffic controllers couldn't guarantee that they'd be able to contact the plane during its descent for landing. The radar blackout also happened just days after more than 20 percent of Newark's tower controllers allegedly 'walked off the job' following the first power outage. Officially, several of the air traffic controllers used their 'trauma leave' following the first radar blackout on April 28. Under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, government workers who experience work-related injuries or illnesses, including psychological trauma or stress-related conditions, are able to take up to 45 days off at full pay. However, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby accused the absent federal workers of causing even more problems following the power outage, including the grounding of hundreds of flights. 'Unfortunately, the technology issues were compounded as over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job,' Kirby said in a May 2 statement. 'Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it's now clear – and the FAA tells us – that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead,' the CEO added. New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer said on Friday that the New York-New Jersey region is short 'about 40 air traffic controllers' currently. 'Right now it has about 22 and it should have somewhere in the 60s,' Gottheimer explained. 'Our air traffic controllers are the best in the world, but everything they need to do they're unable to do when you're so short-staffed,' the congressman added during a news conference at Newark Airport. On Thursday, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a plan for sweeping upgrades to America's air traffic control system. However, Duffy admitted the Trump Administration is racing against time to prevent a major airline tragedy. 'You're starting to see cracks in the system,' Duffy said during a press conference Thursday. 'It's our job to actually see over the horizon what the issues are and fix it before there is an incident that we will seriously regret.' 'We are on it. We are going to fix it. We are going to build a brand new system for all of you and your families and the American people,' the transportation secretary added.
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
MTA claims subways are safer while pointing finger at Trump admin for bad rep — straphangers still ‘scared s–tless'
A recent rash of violent Big Apple subway attacks has straphangers riding in fear again — even as MTA brass blames the Trump administration for fanning the flames. 'Personally, I'm just getting tired of hearing all this from [US Transportation] Secretary [Sean] Duffy about how unsafe our system is and yet the testimony here is we're bending over backwards to make our system as safe as possible,' MTA board member Gerard Bringmann said during an agency public safety meeting on. 'Apparently they're not getting the message,' But while transit agency bosses maintain the subways are among the safest urban systems in the US, everyday New Yorkers told The Post it's the MTA that's not getting the message. 4 Felony assaults in the Big Apple subway system are up 9% so far this year over last year, The Post revealed Saturday. Michael Nagle Debbie Fuchs, 68, from the Upper West Side has been catching the subway for 30 years, and said crime is worse than ever. 'I'm scared s—tless catching the subway,' Upper West Sider Debbie Fuchs, 68, said Monday. 'I'm always looking around for the crazies. You're never relaxed on the train. I'm afraid of being shoved on the track. 'I don't stand near the edge of the platform. I'll stand by a pole and I'll hang on to it. I don't trust anybody on the subway,' she added. 'Crime on the subway has been getting worse for the past two years.' Another Manhattanite who asked not to be identified said thanks, but no thanks. 'I used to catch the subway every day. Crime got a lot worse and I stopped catching it entirely,' she said. 'There's enough crime above ground without exposing yourself below ground. I would go back on the subway if I had a great, big bodyguard.' 4 US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy toured the subways with Mayor Eric Adams earlier this month. Paul Martinka 4 Big Apple straphangers said they still worry about safety on the subways, despite assurances from MTA officials. Robert Miller Duffy has been another critic, and quipped last week that Gov. Kathy Hochul's congestion pricing plan, which aims to push more New Yorkers onto a risky subway system, was 'liberal insanity.' 'She doesn't ride the subway, she's got a detail that drives her around,' Duffy snapped. 'So she may not care about the experience of MTA riders, but she should.' In a report over the weekend, The Post revealed that felony assaults in the transit system are up 9% so far this year, and a staggering 55% over the same period in 2019, according to NYPD data. In one of the latest incidents, a 29-year-old man was shoved into the side of a No. 2 train at a station at West 96th Street and Broadway, sending him to Bellevue Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect fled the station and hasn't been to court, law enforcement sources said. But on Monday MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said crime is under control in the New York City system, which he said is much safer than many other major cities. 4 MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the New York City transit system remains one of the safest urban systems in the US. Robert Miller He said the agency sent Duffy a 20-page report detailing safety and security improvements. 'Contrary to some of the stuff that's thrown around, the MTA on a per capita basis is among the very safest transit systems in the United States,' he said. 'You're nine times more likely to be the victim of a felony crime in the Houston of Minneapolis or Dallas system. I think it's eight times more in the Chicago system. We're not in competition. 'We're not putting anyone down but you have to look at the stats,' he added. 'And by those standards New York is very safe. We have made that point time and time again.' MTA Police Chief Thomas Taffe said overall crime in the city subways is down 2.2% since March and down 18% so far during this quarter. Taffe said there are now more than 135,000 surveillance cameras across the transit system, including trains, subways, bridges and tunnels — 17,000 more than in February 2024.
Bloomberg
30-01-2025
- Bloomberg
No Survivors in Midair DC Crash, Fire Chief Says
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Washington DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly speak in a briefing on Wednesday's crash of a regional jet flown for American Airlines Group Inc. and a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk military helicopter. Chief Donnelly said, 'at this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident.' (Source: Bloomberg)
