Latest news with #airtrafficcontrol
CNA
13 minutes ago
- Business
- CNA
Trump administration seeks extra US$19 billion to overhaul air traffic control
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has asked Congress to approve an additional US$19 billion to fully modernise the United States' ageing air traffic control system, bringing the total cost of the overhaul to US$31.5 billion. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made the request on Wednesday (July 16) at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, where he said the administration had the support of airlines and other aviation stakeholders. "We are going to need more money from the Congress," Duffy said. "We're talking US$31.5 billion to do the full project." NEAR-MISSES AND DEADLY CRASH SPUR PUSH Concerns over the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) outdated systems have been rising amid a series of high-profile incidents, including near-collisions and a January crash involving a US Army helicopter and a regional American Airlines jet that killed 67 people. The US$12.5 billion already approved earlier this month includes US$2 billion for the first new en-route air traffic centre since the 1960s. The administration plans to name a private company to help manage the modernisation, with firms such as Raytheon and IBM under consideration, according to President Donald Trump. TECHNOLOGY AND STAFFING UPGRADES PLANNED The Department of Transportation aims to replace 618 radar systems, install anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, upgrade telecommunications networks and rebuild towers and other facilities. The plan also includes new hiring and retention incentives to address staffing shortfalls. The FAA is currently 3,500 air traffic controllers below its target. A recent report by the National Academies of Sciences found that overtime hours logged by FAA air traffic staff had surged, with 2.2 million hours recorded in 2024 alone. The agency spent US$200 million on overtime pay that year, up more than 300 percent since 2013. Duffy said a key priority is securing funding for equipment to prevent runway incursions and to stabilise the workforce managing US skies.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Air-traffic conversation suggests suspected B.C. hijacking was 'some type of protest'
VANCOUVER — A conversation involving a Vancouver International Airport air traffic controller suggests the alleged hijacking of a small aircraft that temporarily stopped landings on Tuesday may have been motivated by "some type of protest." The unidentified controller in the air-traffic audio recording tells the pilot of a grounded aircraft that a Cessna is circling about 500 feet over the airport and the situation could last "a couple hours." But the Cessna landed about 10 minutes later, and police say the sole occupant was arrested. In the air traffic conversation, the grounded pilot of a commercial jet asks why his plane is being held at the gate. Vancouver air-traffic control had first mentioned a "rogue aircraft" shortly after 1 p.m., asking nearby aircraft to keep an eye out for the Cessna 172 and to inform controllers of any need to "manoeuvre as necessary." Police in Richmond, B.C., where the airport is located, said Tuesday the pilot of the Cessna was arrested after the plane landed at about 1:45 p.m., 47 minutes after online flight data showed the aircraft taking off from Victoria International Airport. Victoria International Airport said in a statement the Cessna was operated by the Victoria Flying Club. Vancouver International Airport said flights were operating normally later Tuesday afternoon after a 39-minute "ground stop" for arrivals. An air traffic controller in the recordings says at about 1:13 p.m. that the pilot of the Cessna stated he had hijacked the aircraft and was heading to Vancouver, and flight data show the plane circling above the airport for about 25 minutes. The controller and a grounded pilot discuss when such an incident had last occurred, and one of them is heard saying "maybe the '70s." Police did not immediately respond to requests for updates on the case, including the identity of the pilot. A video posted online on social media showed police cars closing in on the Cessna as it taxis after landing on YVR's north runway, and the door of the aircraft swinging open before it stops moving. Another recording of a radio conversation between airport operations for arrivals and departures that occurred while the aircraft was circling above says the suspect "expected to be arrested." This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNN
2 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
FAA overhaul to cost $31.5 billion, transportation secretary tells Congress
It will take $31.5 billion to build a new air traffic control system for the country, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told members of the House Wednesday. It is the first time the department has publicly put a dollar figure on the project. 'We will need more (money) to do it,' Duffy told lawmakers at a House Transportation and Infrastructure committee meeting. '… We're talking $31.5 billion dollars to do the full project and my hope is that we'll have an additional conversation about how we can do that. I think time is of the essence.' Duffy and the DOT announced a plan in May to build a new air traffic control system by 2028. More than 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches will be deployed, and the DOT is also replacing 618 radars, but only if it can get the additional money it needs from Congress. Under President Trump's recently passed 'big beautiful bill,' a $12.5 billion down payment was secured to get started. House members questioned the timeline for completing everything the DOT has promised to get done. Duffy pointed out the software, which he called 'the heart of the system,' will require companies to come in and sell their product. 'It's like you're on your computer, you're using Microsoft 95 versus what's available today, there's so much better technology, and this is the heart of making the system more efficient and safer,' Duffy said. Duffy estimated it would take six to eight months to pick a company to update the software, then another six to 10 months to debug it, before it's deployed. Duffy also left the door open for Elon Musk's Starlink to bid for involvement in the new air traffic control system. Rep. Julia Brownley, a Democrat from California, said representatives wrote to the Federal Aviation Administration in March about concerns over a conflict of interest involving SpaceX employees consulting at the FAA. At the time, Musk was still involved in the Department of Government Efficiency and had been a vocal proponent of the company's Starlink system. Brownley said the FAA admitted on July 15 that conflicts of interest existed and that SpaceX employees were given waivers. 'I knew that everyone would be concerned about SpaceX coming to the FAA, and what we did was specifically guardrail them off from anything in space,' Duffy said. 'What they really did was they came and looked at our air traffic control system. They talked to controllers; they talked to our tech people. They actually saw what equipment air traffic controllers were using.' Brownley then questioned whether SpaceX would be able to be involved in the system rebuild after this incident. Duffy responded that at 'some point, Starlink could bid' on issues that may require satellite communications. Beyond the new air traffic control system, Duffy discussed a requirement that pilots complete 1,500 hours of flying before they can be hired by major airlines. The rule was created after the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York, which left 50 people dead. The NTSB found that pilot error was to blame. The rule has come up in conversations with lawmakers since Bryan Bedford, the newly appointed FAA administrator, would not commit to keeping it. Bedford is the former CEO of Republic Airways, a regional US airline that was left with a pilot shortage after the rule was created. 'In regard to 1,500-hour-rule, I have no plan to change it,' Duffy said. 'But what I would do is say, if there's data, that there's some level four simulators that can give pilots experiences that they can't get in their Cessna, to have them truly ready for what might be thrown at them while they're in the air, would I consider that and have a conversation with all of you? Of course I would, because all of us want to make sure we have well-trained pilots in the cockpit.'
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Trump administration needs another $19 billion to fully revamp air traffic control
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday called on Congress to award another $19 billion to overhaul the aging U.S. air traffic control system after Congress approved an initial $12.5 billion over five years in funding. "We're talking $31.5 billion to do the full project," Duffy said at a U.S. House hearing, calling for a funding plan backed by airlines and other aviation groups. The Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control network's woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January between a U.S. Army helicopter and regional American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab jet that killed 67 has spiked public alarm.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Ryanair warns summer travel chaos could strike again
Ryanair has accused French air traffic control staff of taking "recreational" time off during strikes, which severely disrupted air travel earlier this summer. A French air traffic control walkout in early July affected one million airline passengers, leading to nearly 3,000 flight cancellations and over 7,400 delays across Europe. Ryanair claimed some French controllers extended their strike or called in sick over the subsequent weekend to gain extra leave, causing further cancellations. The airline expressed concern that similar industrial action and sickness claims could continue throughout the summer, potentially causing more travel chaos during school holidays. Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, criticised the EU Commission for not protecting overflights, arguing that 90 per cent of cancellations could have been avoided if they had intervened.
