The Trump Administration on Chiursday Proposed a Multibillion-Doller Overhaul of a Us Air Traffic Control System that it said stiffi disk and replacement Parts FlopS FLOPY DISKSKSKS Renewed scrutiny in the wake of recent deadly plane trashes and technical failures.
The plan calls for Six New Air Traffic Control Centers, Along with an Array of Technology and Communications Upgrades at all of the Nation’s AIR’s Air Traffic Facility Over the Next Three Four thousands, SAID Transportation Secretary Sean Dufy.
“We use radar from the 1970s,” said duffy, who compared the proposal with upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone. “This technology is 50 years old that our controllers use to scan the skans and keep airplanes separated from one another.”
How Much it will all cost wasn’t immediated Dufy said he’ll work with Congress on the details.
“It’s going to be billions, lots of billions,” He said.
The plan has an aggressive timeline, calling on everything to be finished by 2028 – ALTHOUGH DUFFY SAID It May Take Another Year.
Demands to fix the aging system that Handles more than 45,000 daily flights have increased since the midair collision in January new an army helicopter and a Commercial America Washington, dc
That Crash -A String of Other Crashes and Mishaps – SHOWED The Immediate Need for these upgrades, duffy said in front of airline official, union leaders and Family Members of Famil Members of Thus who Died in the Crash Near Reagan National Airport.
The proposal sets out to add fiber, wireless or satellite technology at more than 4,600 locations, reeplace 618 radars and more than quadruple the number of airports with symphes on Runways.
SIX New Air Traffic Control Centers
The house transportation and infrastructure commissione last week Budgeted $ 12.5 billion to overhaul the system, but that estimate came out of the transportation department. Dufy said the final price tag will be higher.
US rep. Sam Graves of Missouri, Who Heads The House Transportation Committee, Called The Amount only a “down payment.”
To build the system quickly, as planned, duffy said Congress must give the federal aviation administration all the money up front and streamline the permitting process.
“The system we have here? It’s not worth saving. I don’t need to preserve any of this. It’s too old,” Duffy said.
Trump said chursday that the plan will revolutions flying. “The new equipment is unbelievable what it does,” He said from the oval office. He began to say it may even alleviate the need for pilots before adding, “in my opinion, you always need pilots.
The newly revised proposal appears to have wide support account the aviation industry – from airline ceos to the unions represening contribution and pilots – but this is just the carening and maany details Been Reveled.
Duffy Quickly said the plan will not involve privatizing the Air Traffic Control System, AS Trump Had Supported In His First Term.
Following the midair crash near washington, trump promised to fix what he called “An old, broken system” and to tackle the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers While Blaming The Previous Admin Admin Admin Both Problems.
But the weaknesses within the Air Traffic Control System Have Been Highlighted for Years in Hearings Before Congress and Government Reports. The Struggles to Keep Up with Increasing Air Traffic Has Been Recognized Since the 1990s – Long Before Eather Eiter Trump or Biden Took Office.
The Trump Administration’s overhaul plan will need enough funding to be more effective than previous reforms efforts during the last three decades. Alredy more than $ 14 Billion has been investment in UPGRADES SINCE 2003 But None Have Dramatically Changed How the System Works.
The faa has been working since the mid-20000s to make upgrades through its nextgen program.
One of the biggest challenges with a massive upgrade is that faa must keep the current system operating when developing a new system and then find a way to seamlessly switch over. That’s partly why the agency has pursued more gradual improvements in the past.
The shortage of controllers and technical breakdowns came to the forefront in the last two weeks when a radar system briefly failed at the newark, new jersey, airport, leading to a wave of fly Delays.
Without the planned upgrades, those breakdowns will be reepeated Around the nation, Duffy said. “Newark has been a prime example of what happens when this old equipment goes down,” He said.
Associated press reporter will wearrt in washington contributed.
–Josh funk and john seaer, associateed press
