The Federal Government Needs to Get Air Traffic Control Modernization Off the Ground

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently publicized some disturbing news. Air traffic control systems—which help keep 50,000 flights moving safely daily—are aging and becoming more unreliable. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must prioritize fast-tracking modernization projects. 

According to the federal government, 51 of the 138 air traffic control systems are “unsustainable” while another 54 are “potentially unsustainable.” Outdated functionality and a lack of spare parts are among reasons that are cited. To make matters worse, more than half of those systems have “critical operational impacts on the safety and efficacy of the national airspace.” 

Did you know that air traffic controllers still manually move around paper strips to keep track of airplanes? In the age of iPhones and artificial intelligence, relying on paper to monitor jumbo jets is like watching a movie on a VCR rather than streaming it on Netflix or Hulu. 

Such old technology wouldn’t hack it in other sectors. Imagine if half of a hospital’s systems, ranging from patient information databases to messaging platforms, weren’t functioning properly because they were decades old. Or if Google Maps periodically malfunctioned—leading travelers astray. Would Americans accept that? Of course not. 

The current timelines to update or replace these systems are unacceptable. Many of the projects aren’t scheduled to be completed until after 2030. And even if all the announced initiatives are concluded, that still leaves some ancient systems untouched. While this is all sorted out, at the very least, the FAA should put a strategy into place to mitigate the fallout.

Last year, Americans from coast to coast saw what can happen when government air traffic control systems fail. Thousands of flights were either delayed or canceled following a nationwide ground stop caused by an FAA system meltdown. These types of incidents will only become more common if the federal government continues to operate under the status quo. 

Old infrastructure isn’t the only problem plaguing the government’s aviation responsibilities. Reporting suggests the FAA is short 3,000 air traffic controllers. As a result, flights are being delayed or canceled—leaving passengers to deal with the mess. In fact, the problem is so bad that the FAA is pre-emptively asking airlines to cut back on the number of flights in some parts of the country. 

Additionally, correlated with skeleton staffing, the FAA is moving existing controllers to new locations, which is also wreaking havoc. In late July, two dozen air traffic controllers were relocated from Long Island to Philadelphia, triggering more than 800 flight delays at Newark Liberty International Airport over the course of a week.

The Department of Transportation clearly has some big wrinkles to iron out. But rather than focusing on getting their own house in order, the agency’s head is in the proverbial clouds. Attempts to micromanage exactly how airlines display baggage fees or interact with customers are prime examples. No other business is subject to such extreme scrutiny. 

Asked last year if the country’s air traffic control system is out of date, Sec. Buttigieg answered, “the system is continuously being upgraded.” Given the findings highlighted in the recent government watchdog report, lackadaisical improvements won’t cut it. The Department of Transportation needs to step it up and get its priorities straight.