U.S. Air Traffic Control Systems Are Outdated and Some Parts Are Impossible to Obtain, Report Says

The combination of understaffed facilities, long working hours, and obsolete technology threatens the safety of air traffic.

Air Traffic Control
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miguel-jorge

Miguel Jorge

Writer
miguel-jorge

Miguel Jorge

Writer

Journalist specializing in technology and science.

144 publications by Miguel Jorge

Concerns about the U.S.’s aviation safety infrastructure are escalating following two plane crashes in the last few days. Recent news reports have raised doubts about the sector’s proper functioning. Moreover, a 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlighted a troubling issue: Air traffic control technology is outdated.

An aging system. The report indicates that many spare parts are difficult or impossible to obtain, primarily because the technicians who specialize in their maintenance have either aged out or retired without being replaced. As a result, some support services are no longer available.

This problem became particularly evident on Jan. 11, 2023, when the Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights across the country due to an unexpected failure of the Notification to Air Missions system. This system is crucial for alerting pilots about changes in airspace and airports. The outage prompted a federal investigation and underscored the fragility of the current system.

Outdated technology and lack of replacements. The GAO report reveals that 37% of the FAA’s 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable, primarily due to insufficient funding for replacements. Some critical equipment is between 20 and 50 years old and lacks manufacturer support or a modernization plan in the near future.

No spare parts. The report identifies several critical systems facing these challenges. For instance, the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model-X, which was implemented in the 2000s to monitor runway movements, lacks spare parts, and repairs involve expensive engineering work. Similarly, beacon antennas that are more than 20 years old are no longer manufactured. Meanwhile, some landing systems have been in use for more than 25 years but no longer have available technical support or parts.

The report also warns that the FAA hasn’t scheduled upgrades to these systems until at least 2030. If no changes are made, control systems will continue to operate without significant improvements for years to come. Moreover, the FAA hasn’t conducted risk assessments to prioritize its modernization efforts.

Shortage of air traffic controllers. The New York Times recently reported that this issue stems not only from outdated technology but also from a critical lack of personnel in air traffic control centers. More than 90% of the country’s air traffic control facilities are currently operating below the FAA-recommended staffing levels.

The U.S. currently has 10,800 air traffic controllers. However, according to Nick Daniels, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, an estimated 14,335 are needed. This staffing crisis has gained attention following a mid-air collision between an airliner and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29. An FAA report revealed that at the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was handling the workload of two people at Reagan National Airport. According to Daniels, this is an increasingly common scenario due to understaffing.

Government response. What’s the government doing about this situation? The Transportation Department has acknowledged that modernizing the air traffic system is a top priority, saying that the FAA has taken “significant actions to identify and implement system upgrades and modernization.” However, a lack of investment, slow implementation of improvements, and the ongoing personnel crisis threaten the safety of American aviation if authorities don’t take immediate action.

Given recent incidents and a strained system, the U.S. urgently needs to modernize its aviation infrastructure to prevent further operational failures that could endanger the safety of passengers and crew members.

Image | Beckett P

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