Latest news with #aircontrollers
CNA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Controlling The Skies - Hidden Heroes of the Air
About the show: Every day more than ninety thousand commercial flights take off around the world. Ninety thousand flights that need to be safely flown and guided from take-off to landing through every kind of weather. We all know the role of the pilots in air travel, but how many of us know anything about air traffic control? And yet, their job is one of the most stressful in the world, their responsibility is huge. Every minute of every day air controllers hold the lives of thousands in their hands. They work in places that the public never visits. At the heart of major control centres, this documentary will follow an Air France flight from take-off at New York's JFK - the world's busiest airspace - to its landing in Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle - Europe's second busiest airport. An exclusive in-depth investigation into the wild and secret world of the heroes of the air.
Fast Company
06-05-2025
- Fast Company
What's happening at Newark airport? Update on flight cancellations and delays as travel chaos continues
In the constant hustle and bustle of one of the busiest airports in the United States, a terrifying 90 seconds of quiet had disastrous results. On April 28, the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) lost both radar and radio for a minute and a half due to a fried piece of copper wiring, the New York Post reported. This meant that air traffic controllers could not see, hear, or speak to aircraft or pilots around the airport. The event did not lead to any crashes, but it did cause significant stress on employees working at the time; five FAA employees are reportedly taking trauma leave, according to CNN, making them eligible for 45 days to recover from the event. How has the incident impacted flights? Along with a slew of other problems slowing down the airport—such as the temporary closure of a major runway for repair work and a nearly 30-year low of air controller staffing —last Monday's incident has led to major delays and cancellations for the airport. And these delays and cancellations have continued to persist: According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, Newark airport has seen over 200 delays and 110 cancellations by 12:30 today. What have airlines said about the situation? Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, wrote in a message on Friday that Newark airport's technology problems were compounded when 'over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job,' putting further stress on already understaffed systems. '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,' He wrote. Due to these difficulties, Kirby added, United would cancel 35 round trips per day from Newark beginning this past weekend. 'It's disappointing to make further cuts to an already reduced schedule at Newark, but since there is no way to resolve the near-term structural FAA staffing issues, we feel like there is no other choice in order to protect our customers,' says Kirby. How long is this chaos going to last? While issues like the runway closure will be resolved in June, the severe lack of air traffic controllers and replacing old equipment is a longer-term problem. According to a report by Axios, the New York City region only had around 65% of its target number of certified air traffic controllers as of September 2023. This is in part because of the relatively narrow window in which people can enter the position. The FAA does not allow anyone to apply to be a controller if they are over the age of 30 and requires all controllers to retire by the age of 56. Additionally, training to become a certified professional controller (CPC) is a long and difficult process spanning 3-4 years and causes around 40% of paid trainees to drop out. In order to boost the numbers of air traffic controllers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a press conference on May 1 that the Department of Transportation will roll out incentives such as: A 30% salary increase for new hires A $5,000 bonus for FAA Academy completion Additional resources to help students improve final exam scores Bonuses to controllers nearing retirement age Bonuses to controllers willing to staff less popular locations 'We're hoping in three to four years we can get to full staffing, not 20 years,' Duffy said. Additionally, in a statement on May 5, the FAA said that it is working on speeding up modernization efforts to improve Newark airport's technology infrastructure. 'We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency,' the agency said. What if I'm flying in or out of Newark? Although the FAA and Department of Transportation are promising improvements for Newark airport, the unfortunate reality is that it will take a long time for travelers to see the results from them. Travelers with flights going through Newark in the coming weeks and months should stay alert and check frequently for possible delays and disruptions and consider backup plans when possible. It also may be a good idea to try to book flights earlier in the day as they are typically less likely to be delayed or canceled. In the case that your flight is cancelled or heavily delayed, the Department of Transportation says that you are entitled to a refund: 'If an airline cancels a passenger's flight or makes a significant change in the flight, regardless of the reason, airlines are required to provide a prompt refund to a ticketed passenger, including those with non-refundable tickets, should the passenger choose not to accept the alternative offered, such as rebooking on another flight.'
Forbes
06-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
‘Approach, Are You There?': 30 Seconds When Newark Air Traffic Controllers Lost Contact With A Plane
Audio between air traffic controllers and pilots at Newark Airport reveals the moment when the tower lost radio contact with planes coming in to land at the busy New Jersey airport. An airport control tower overlooks Newark Liberty International Airport Tuesday. (Photo by Andres ... More Kudacki) Getty Images New audio from April 28 reveals how air traffic controllers temporarily lost all contact with planes approaching Newark Liberty International Airport—leaving one United Airlines pilot asking, 'Approach, are you there?' according to the clip recorded by and reviewed by Forbes. A female pilot for United Airlines 1951 from New Orleans to Newark is heard radioing the control tower at least five times, repeating 'go ahead for 1951,' as she sought clearance to land at the busy New Jersey airport. After roughly 30 seconds of silence, the tower said '1951, how do you hear me?' to which the pilot responded, 'I've got you loud and clear now, 1951.' Less than a minute later, the tower told United flight 674, which was coming from Charleston, 'we lost our radar.' The problem originated in Philadelphia. On Monday, April 28, air traffic controllers in a terminal radar approach control tower (TRACON) at Philadelphia International Airport responsible for separating and sequencing aircraft in and out of Newark Airport 'temporarily lost radar and communications with the aircraft under their control, unable to see, hear, or talk to them,' according to a statement provided to Forbes by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing the country's 10,400 air traffic controllers. Audio confirmed that the controllers lost radio contact with a United Airlines plane for approximately 30 seconds. Did Air Traffic Controllers Really 'walk Off The Job' After The Incident? In a May 2 letter to customers, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wrote that 'over 20% of the FAA controllers for [Newark] walked off the job' following the incident. But the FAA clarified in a statement that 'some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages.' A spokesperson for the air traffic controllers' union told Forbes those ATCs were put on medical leave due to trauma. 'Due to the event, the controllers took absence under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. This program covers all federal employees that are physically injured or experience a traumatic event on the job,' according to the NATCA's statement. Neither FAA nor NATCA would say how many controllers were on trauma leave. What Caused The Loss Of Communications? Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed old technology for the meltdown at Newark, saying on X that he would be 'announcing a plan next week to build an all-new air traffic control system.' Forbes has not been able to verify the claim by one news outlet that the disruption was caused by faulty copper wiring. What Does The Faa Say? 'Our antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce,' the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. 'We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency.' What Does This Mean For Travelers? The shortage of controllers has caused hundreds of delayed and canceled flights at Newark Airport over the past week. But the airport is seeing far less disruption—75 delays and 47 cancellations—as of late Tuesday morning, according to FlightAware data. Since last weekend, United has cut 35 roundtrip flights per day from its Newark schedule. Delta Air Lines, which has roughly 30 daily departures from Newark, told Forbes that operational impacts for flights to the New Jersey airport have been 'minimal' and that passengers encountering a cancellation at Newark are automatically rebooked to the next best available itinerary, which could include other New York City hubs at LaGuardia and JFK. Crucial Quote "The chaos at Newark very well could be a harbinger if issues like these aren't fixed, and if the FAA can't get real solutions off the ground,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Wednesday, adding that the FAA's plan to replace old equipment like copper wires and floppy discs also needs to be scrutinized. Along with outdated technology, the FAA is also challenged by a decades-long shortage of air traffic controllers. In February, Duffy unveiled a plan to 'supercharge' the hiring of air traffic controllers to shave 'more than four months off the old process.' But it can take nearly four years to become a certified air traffic controller, including spending several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, then completing up to three years of on-the-job experience before becoming certified, according to the FAA website. FAA Announces 'Hiring Supercharge' For Air Traffic Controllers—But Don't Expect An Immediate Fix To The Shortage (Forbes)
