The U.S. House Transportation Committee held a hearing Tuesday on aviation safety following a series of concerning incidents, including a fatal collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight.
The hearing addressed longstanding issues within the aviation industry, such as a significant shortage of air traffic controllers and outdated Federal Aviation Administration systems. Currently, there are 11,000 air traffic controllers employed, but experts suggest that an additional 2,000 to 3,000 are needed to ensure safety and efficiency.
"Just like it's not acceptable for controllers and technicians to have to work with paper strips and floppy disks to operate the national airspace system of the United States," said Nicholas Calio, CEO of Airlines for America. "I showed these to some people in my office that can tell me what they were because they're under 30."
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Lawmakers expressed a desire to improve aviation safety but acknowledged the challenges posed by budget constraints and the potential for a government shutdown. These financial issues complicate efforts to modernize the FAA's systems and address staffing shortages.
The hearing also touched on the impact of previous FAA layoffs during the Trump administration, which, although not affecting air traffic controllers directly, have raised concerns among lawmakers about the overall strain on the system.
The hearing underscored the urgent need for modernization and increased staffing within the FAA to prevent further incidents and ensure the safety of the national airspace system.
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