Summary
- Urgent action is needed to address the air traffic controller shortage and ensure safety in the aviation industry, as highlighted in a report by the NAS Safety Review Team.
- The FAA is taking immediate action by implementing recommendations from the report.
- Over 20 close-call incidents have occurred this year highlighting the pressing need for action and improvements in the industry.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is racing to address the air traffic controller shortage and overall safety in the aviation industry by taking “immediate action” on several concepts. It comes after the state of ATC operations in the US was exposed in a report published by the National Airspace System (NAS) Safety Review Team (SRT).
The report provides recommendations to address the current safety risk in the sky following several close-call incidents nationwide this year. Among the initiatives the FAA is implementing, ATC training will be enhanced along with new facilities being added.
“Some excellent recommendations”
According to the FAA, the SRT completed a “thorough assessment” of the nation’s air traffic system. The team reviewed several components of ATC operations, including the FAA’s internal safety procedures, staffing levels, facilities, equipment, and how the air traffic budget is funded. The agency reportedly commissioned the SRT earlier this year following its Safety Summit.
“Since the Safety Summit, the FAA has undertaken a series of safety initiatives to reach its commitment to pursue a goal of zero serious close calls,” the agency explained.
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One of those initiatives includes 16 runway safety meetings for the remainder of the year. According to Mike Whitaker, FAA’s newly appointed Administrator, some of the agency’s immediate actions are acquired from the recommendations in the SRT’s report.
“Aviation is safe because we are continuously looking for ways to improve. The independent safety review team made some excellent recommendations and we are adopting some of them immediately.”
“Urgent action” is required
The SRT’s report focused on strengthening the FAA’s organizational structures, investing in hiring and training, sustaining and modernizing infrastructure, and consistent funding. The team emphasized the importance of implementing its suggestions quickly.
“While implementing the recommendations may be difficult, addressing risk in the NAS requires urgent action. The SRT strongly urges policymakers and industry to begin the process of change necessary; to work collaboratively with the FAA to ensure a healthy, sustainable NAS; and to continue to deliver the level of safety that the flying public deserves and has come to expect from the U.S. aviation system.”
Photo: benemale | Shutterstock
On Friday, the FAA announced that it would immediately implement the following:
- Moving college and university air traffic control graduates straight to on-the-job training, bypassing the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy
- A hiring track open for experienced controllers from the military and private industry year-round
- Filling every seat at the FAA Academy and increasing classroom sizes
- Expanding advanced training across the country with facilities in Chicago and San Diego, and more being added in Nashua and Phoenix next year
- Completing the deployment of tower simulator systems in 95 facilities by December 2025, with the first being deployed in Austin by January
- Providing reports from the Air Traffic Safety Oversite Service to the FAA Administrator and Aviation Safety Associate Administrator
Over 20 close-call incidents in 2023
According to NBC News, 23 serious close calls have occurred this year, and 77% of ATC facilities are understaffed as the industry prepares to see an influx in travelers amid the busy holiday season.
Despite the FAA saying in August that it had reached its 2023 ATC hiring goal, the agency has reportedly struggled to replace thousands of retiring controllers.