Denver air traffic controllers scramble to use backup communications during disruptions
Denver air traffic controllers lost 90 seconds of communication with the plane earlier this week and had to scramble to use backup frequency Latest Federal Aviation Management Equipment Failure.
The disruption instructing aircraft control facilities around Denver International Airport on Monday afternoon affected FAA’s air traffic control chief Frank McIntosh said at a hearing Thursday. This communication failed to follow Two highly anticipated interruptions The last 2 1/2 weeks of radar and communications are in a Philadelphia facility that directs aircraft to the airport at Newark Airport, New Jersey.
The FAA said in a statement that the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center lost about 90 seconds of communication. Macintosh said the main backup frequencies were all reduced, so the controller had to turn to the emergency frequency for AC.
“The controller used another frequency to pass the indication to the pilot. The aircraft remained safely separated and had no effect on operation,” the FAA said.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California told McIntosh at a hearing that these interruptions had happened more regularly, each time.
“We know there are staffing and equipment issues in air traffic control,” Garcia said. “We know that in some cases these issues have gone back decades, but it’s still an absolutely shocking system failure and we need immediate solutions.”
Last week, the Trump administration announced Billion dollar plan The overhauled air traffic control system relies on outdated equipment. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a column in Newsweek that air traffic control systems are unacceptable even if they are old, but Newark’s problems are unacceptable and can be prevented if the system is upgraded faster.
Since radar and communications went out April 28 Continue May 9. one The third similar question It happened on Sunday, but the backup system worked and kept the radar online.
“The safety of the traveling public cannot continue to be threatened,” said Democrat and his ranking Rep. Rick Larsen, after the hearing. “Our system problems have spanned management, but security improvements cannot span generations. We need to act now.”
FAA and airlines fly out of Newark met again Thursday to discuss cutting flights because there were not enough controllers to handle all flights. Newark canceled more than 140 flights on Thursday.
Officials have developed the plan to upgrade the air traffic control system Deadly aerial collision In January, a passenger plane and an Army helicopter killed 67 people in the sky in Washington, D.C. Several other crashes Pressure has also been put in place this year to require officials to take action.
