The plans include rebuilding several centres and installing new ground radar sensors on the airport runways.
On May 8, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy announced an ambitious plan to overhaul and upgrade the country’s air traffic control system, fulfilling the key policy goals he has advocated since assuming his post to lead the Department of Transport earlier this year.
Duffy said the plans include upgrading communication lines to electrical fibers, rebuilding several air traffic control towers and terminal radar approach controls (Tracons), and implementing new radios in the “communication between air traffic controllers and planes.”
“We’re rebuilding some centres, not all of them, but some centres that need to be rebuilt,” Duffy said at a press conference.
Tracons is a type of FAA facility used to handle the safe separation of planes and other aircraft within airspace around airports.
The Transport Secretary said the plan also includes new ground radar sensors on the airport runway.
“Our air traffic controllers in the tower are looking with binoculars to see planes. If it’s cloudy or rainy, it can be very challenging if the weather is bad. I want to have all the tools so that I can see where you are in the airport on the terminal screen,” Duffy said.
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The transportation sector will also introduce new flight management systems to improve airspace efficiency, allowing airlines to improve flights, and new hardware, software and equipment for controllers to overhaul and upgrade American air traffic control.
“I can’t announce it to you and say it’s going to happen in three or four years. I need help. I can’t do it myself and I’ll get the help of Congress to make it happen,” Duffy said.
“To do that in three or four years, you need all the money ahead.”
He said the effort was challenging, but suggested that the administration “doesn’t do that.”
“I think our country, our people, those using airspace deserve this moment to actually provide an air traffic control system that actually keeps them safe,” Duffy said.
“I’m committed to it. The President is committed to it. I think Congress will commit to it.”
Incidents lead to an upgrade call
When the Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a Washington commercial plane in late January, Duffy called for an upgrade to America’s outdated air traffic control technology.
On April 28, the air traffic controller lost contact with all planes for 30 seconds near Newar Liberty International Airport after a critical communication line was dark and the backup system was activated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that several controllers from the Philadelphia Tracon, which covers arrivals and departures at Newark Airport, have “taken time to recover from the stress of multiple outages this recent.”
“We cannot immediately replace this highly specialized profession, but we continue to train controllers that will ultimately be allocated to this busy airspace,” the FAA said in a statement in the Epoch Times.
The agency has slowed air traffic to Newark, and Duffy said the two failed communication systems have since been fixed.
“We’re trying to fundamentally change the way air traffic control looks,” Duffy told Fox News.
“We will build new air traffic control systems, from new communications to new radar to new infrastructure. We are introducing new air traffic controllers.
“This has been a problem for decades and we’re going to fix it.”
Upgrade to Philadelphia
While talking to reporters outside the White House on May 7th, Duffy said that the outdated American air traffic control system using technology between the ages of 25 and 50 is not a “new problem.”
“I know this problem exists,” he said. “In the past four years, there have been multiple reports from GAO saying there are real issues with air traffic control. Something needs to be done before it actually fails.”
Duffy said the Trump administration loves efficiency, but safety is its mission. He also mentioned following last week’s event, which will begin work at Newark Airport with a new communications system.
“Many of you may know that Newark is dominated by Tracon in Philadelphia. We moved from New York to Philadelphia last summer,” he said.
“I would argue that they should have built an entirely new facility in Philadelphia before they moved it. That’s not what happened. So we’re going to build it now.”
Duffy said this week’s estimates suggest it will take six to eight months to complete.
“I feel pretty good now. I don’t want to be overly popular, but I feel pretty good to be able to build it by this summer,” he said.
“We’re going to build a brand new system for you, your family and the people of America that the President said yes.”
