A series of near-misses at U.S. airports, some of them with potential for catastrophe, has led the Federal Aviation Administration to call for “urgent action” to address the situation.
In a new report issued last week, the agency cited air traffic control staffing shortages, technology issues, and funding needs as the reasons for the incidents. The report says that “The FAA continues to be asked to do more with less in an already strained system, and the series of serious incidents in early 2023 illuminate significant challenges to the provision and safety oversight of air traffic services.”
There have been seven National Transportation Safety Board investigations into near-misses opened since January, and those are only the big ones; the report cited 46 incidents in July alone, some of them occurring multiple times a week.
Air traffic control shortages in particular have resulted in FAA reducing the number of flights in particular areas, especially New York, to reduce the risk, with cuts scheduled to last until October 24. Staffing for New York area Terminal Radar is as low as 54% of the recommended levels.
