The US Regional Airline Association (RAA) has praised federal government plans to reform the national air traffic control (ATC) system.
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) Modernisation Plan was unveiled on 8 May by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and, according to the RAA, “proposes a series of bold and transformative investments in the ATC system, addressing critical safety shortfalls and laying the groundwork for a long-term, safer and more efficient national air transportation system”.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has formulated the plan, warns that the current air traffic control system relies on outdated technologies that are unable to meet the growing demands of the sector.
RAA President and CEO Faye Malarkey Black stressed the urgency of modernising ATC infrastructure, particularly for smaller and underserved airports that rely heavily on regional air service.
“Safety should not depend on the size or location of the airport,” she said. “We need an airspace system that is modern, comprehensive, and prepared for today’s and tomorrow’s demands.”
The US ATC system is widely recognised as having significant shortcomings and in need of urgent investment and has come under increased scrutiny following the collision in January in Washington DC of a regional jet with a US Army helicopter.
Most recently, an equipment failure at Newark Airport, New Jersey, led to air traffic controllers being unable to see planes on radar for at least 90 seconds, resulting in days of delays and cancellations due to safety concerns.
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “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.”
The RAA said in a statement that “ATC failings have forced the FAA to reduce capacity at large airports to keep our skies safe.”
“This drawdown of air service has disproportionately harmed regional air service and smaller airports, resulting in less service to rural communities, where that air service provides not only a connection, but also presents an economic lifeline,” it said.
The RAA’s Faye Malarkey Black speaking at the launch of the US government’s plans to reform air traffic control.
The FAA plans to modernise the US ATC system
- Replacing antiquated telecommunications with new fibre, wireless and satellite technologies at over 4,600 sites, 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches.
- Replacing 618 radars that have reached the end of their life cycle.
- Addressing runway safety by increasing the number of airports with Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) to 200.
- Building six new air traffic control centres for the first time since the 1960s and replacing towers and TRACONs.
- Installing new, modern hardware and software for all air traffic facilities to create a common platform system across towers, TRACONs, and centres.
- Addressing the challenges that Alaska faces by adding 174 new weather stations.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
The problems with US air traffic control
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warns in its plan that the current National Airspace System (NAS) relies on outdated technologies that are unable to meet the growing demands of the aviation sector.
An image from the FAA report demonstrating the poor state of equipment in use
The document highlights that the outdated nature of the system is causing delays and inefficiencies, and a lack of funding for key infrastructure, including radars, telecommunications, and facilities, is putting the aviation sector at risk.
While it claims the NAS is currently safe, the FAA cautions that maintaining this safety will come at the expense of efficiency, as air traffic will need to be reduced due to system outages.
Key FAA findings
- A significant portion of the current infrastructure relies on decades-old technology, including copper wires, older radar systems (some dating back 50-60 years), and even floppy disks in certain systems. Finding replacement parts often involves searching on eBay.
- The outdated telecommunications infrastructure, heavily reliant on copper wires, has limited bandwidth and is less reliable than modern fibre optic, wireless, and satellite technologies. This can lead to communication outages.
- Current radar systems can have built-in latency, requiring a greater separation between aircraft compared to satellite-based GPS systems.
- In some facilities, air traffic controllers still rely on paper strips to track flights and use binoculars for visual confirmation of aircraft positions, rather than fully automated systems.
Source: Federal Aviation Authority
