America's air traffic control problem

Summary

Consider This from NPR: America's Air Traffic Control Problem

Episode Release Date: May 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of NPR's Consider This, host Ari Shapiro delves into the burgeoning crisis plaguing America's air traffic control (ATC) system. Highlighting recent disruptions, systemic deficiencies, and the human toll of an overburdened infrastructure, the episode unravels the complexities threatening the safety and efficiency of the nation's skies.

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The Newark Airport Incident

The episode opens with a stark recounting of the chaos experienced at Newark Airport on April 28, emphasizing the fragility of the current ATC systems.

• Flight Disruptions: Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, causing widespread inconvenience for travelers.

• System Failure: On April 28, ATC lost all radar and communication capabilities with incoming and outgoing planes. The silence during these critical moments was captured by liveatc.net and archived by FOX Business.

• Government Response: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the issue, stating, “the communications blackout lasted 30 seconds” (00:00). While there were no accidents, the incident left several air traffic controllers traumatized, leading to increased absenteeism.

• Compounding Factors: The situation was exacerbated by adverse weather conditions, a closed runway undergoing repairs, and an already understaffed ATC workforce, culminating in significant delays for travelers.

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Historical Context and Systemic Shortcomings

Ari Shapiro provides a broader perspective by referencing past incidents and expert insights to illustrate that the Newark debacle is symptomatic of deeper, long-standing issues within the ATC system.

• Preceding Delays: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby revealed that in November alone, over half a million customers experienced delays at Newark due to ATC deficiencies (00:00). This problem isn't isolated to Newark but is a nationwide concern.

• Outdated Technology: The technical infrastructure supporting ATC is largely obsolete. David Grizzle, former COO and head of ATC for the FAA, explains, “Most of the telecommunication system is the very best technology of the 1980s” (04:50). This antiquated equipment hampers efficient communication and control.

• Staffing Crisis: There is a critical shortage of trained air traffic controllers. Grizzle emphasizes, “We are short several thousand controllers” (06:07). This deficit not only strains the existing workforce but also impedes the training and onboarding of new controllers, creating a vicious cycle of understaffing.

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Policy and Funding Challenges

The episode scrutinizes the political and financial hurdles that have impeded necessary reforms and upgrades to the ATC system.

• Government Accountability: While current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy points fingers at previous administrations, Grizzle asserts, “this problem is decades in the making” (07:24). The FAA’s chronic underfunding spans multiple administrations, exacerbated by recurring government shutdowns that disrupt continuous program development.

• Technological Procurement Issues: Beyond funding, Grizzle highlights systemic inefficiencies in the federal procurement process. He notes, “Any private sector company does not replace its technology in large bundles every 40 years” (08:29). The rigid procurement protocols prevent iterative and responsive technological advancements, leaving ATC systems perpetually outdated.

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Safety Implications and Public Confidence

Addressing concerns about the safety of air travel amidst these challenges, Grizzle offers a nuanced perspective.

• Maintaining Safety Standards: Grizzle reassures listeners, stating, “I would not hesitate to fly anytime, anywhere with my grandchildren” (09:10). While acknowledging that the system remains safe, he cautions that the “margin of safety is narrower than what it was 10 years ago” (09:15).

• Continuous Process: Safety, according to Grizzle, is an ongoing process rather than a fixed state. Despite the narrowed safety margins, the foundational safety protocols remain intact, ensuring passenger security.

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Conclusions and Forward Path

The episode concludes with reflections on the urgency of addressing the ATC crisis and the multifaceted approach required to rectify it.

• Long-Term Solutions Needed: Grizzle underscores that solving the ATC problems isn't solely about increasing funding. It necessitates a comprehensive overhaul of procurement practices and a sustained commitment to technological modernization.

• Hope Amidst Challenges: Despite the grim realities, there is optimism. Grizzle commends Secretary Duffy’s active engagement in aviation matters, suggesting that proactive leadership could spearhead meaningful reforms.

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Notable Quotes

• Ari Shapiro (00:00): “Hopefully you haven't had to fly out of Newark Airport in the past week. If you have, you know, it's been a mess.”

• Tammy Duckworth (01:27): “Our nation is experiencing an aviation safety crisis. Near misses are happening way too frequently.”

• Sean Duffy (01:45): “The question is, can I do something more quickly to train controllers? And the answer is no.”

• David Grizzle (04:11): “They're in the process of replacing the entire telecommunications system, but in between now and when the replacement is completed, there is the need for patches.”

• David Grizzle (08:29): “It is not entirely a matter of money. We also need to change the procurement process.”

• David Grizzle (09:15): “Safety is a process, and the system is very safe. And at the same time, the margin of safety is narrower than what it was 10 years ago.”

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Production Credits

• Produced by: Alejandro Marquez Hanse, Connor Donovan, Noah Caldwell
• Edited by: William Troup
• Executive Producer: Sami Yenigun

This episode is part of NPR's Consider This series, aimed at helping listeners make sense of major news stories in a concise 15-minute format, available six days a week.

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For more insights and updates, support NPR through Consider This+ at plus.npr.org/considerthis.

Transcript

[Ari Shapiro]

Hopefully you haven't had to fly out of Newark Airport in the past week. If you have, you know, it's been a mess. Hundreds of flights canceled, hundreds more delayed. All this kicked off in part because of what happened on April 28. Air Traffic Control lost all radar and communications with planes. The website liveatc.net captured the harrowing silence as planes tried to reach the controllers. It was it was archived by FOX Business. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later told the press that the communications blackout lasted 30 seconds. There were no accidents, but several air traffic controllers took time off to deal with the stress and trauma of that experience. Add to that bad weather, a Runway that's closed for repair and an already short staffed air traffic controller core and and you get a whole lot of delays. Now, this problem didn't come out of nowhere. Here's United CEO Scott Kirby on npr. In December, for the whole month of November, we had over half a million customers that were delayed because of air traffic control shortfalls in Newark alone. And it's not just Newark. The air traffic controller shortage is nationwide and the technical systems that many controllers use are decades old. Here's Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois at a Senate hearing focused on the issue back in 2023.

[Tammy Duckworth]

Our nation is experiencing an aviation safety crisis. Near misses are happening way too frequently.

[David Grizzle]

And I refuse to be complacent in.

[Tammy Duckworth]

Waiting to act until the next Runway.

[David Grizzle]

Incursion becomes a fatal collision.

[Ari Shapiro]

Secretary Duffy told reporters on Tuesday he has a plan to address this, but it's not an instant fix.

[Sean Duffy]

The question is, can I do something more quickly to train controllers? And the answer is no. This all takes time. You can't snap your fingers and have really complicated airspaces where I can stand up controllers who understand all of this is gonna take time.

[Ari Shapiro]

This year we've seen the catastrophic collision between an army helicopter and a passenger jet, multiple near misses since, and now this Newark incident. What's going on with air traffic control? From npr, I'm Ari Shapiro. This message comes from Saatva, the first company to sell luxury mattresses online without the hassle or expense of traditional mat. So Satva customers have always paid about 50% less than retail. Visit swatva.com NPR today, where NPR listeners save an additional $200.

[Sean Duffy]

When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news, like presidential power, aging and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on the Throughline podcast from npr.

[Lana Schmies]

Imagine, if you will, a show from NPR that's not like npr, a show that focuses not on the important, but the stupid, which features stories about people smuggling animals in their pants, incompetent criminals, and ridiculous science studies. And call it Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, because the good names were taken. Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yes, that is what it is called. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ari Shapiro]

It'S Consider this from npr. David Grizzle knows America's air traffic control system well. He used to run it. Grizzle was the chief operating officer and head of air traffic control for the Federal Aviation Administration during the Obama administration. I wanted to know what he makes of the incident at Newark and what it reveals about air safety in the US More broadly. When you first heard about this breakdown, were you surprised or did you think it was only a matter of time until something like this was going to happen?

[David Grizzle]

Something like this had already happened, not with the same severe effects, but the technology lapse that occurred had occurred before and had been forecasted.

[Ari Shapiro]

And yet that didn't lead to an upgrade. It didn't lead to a fix of the problem. Why not?

[David Grizzle]

They're in the process of replacing the entire telecommunications system, but in between now and when the replacement is completed, there is the need for they're called patches, which are software and hardware fixes that enable the old system to communicate in a manner that modern telco lines can understand. And that patch process has been underfunded for a number of years.

[Ari Shapiro]

We're talking about old, outdated systems, but can you describe them for us? How old are they?

[David Grizzle]

Most of the telecommunication system is the very best technology of the 1980s. And like so much of the equipment that exists in the faa, it is quite old. It's decades out of date. And when it was replaced, it was it was also replacing technology that was itself decades out of date. And so that's part of the problem is that the FAA is in a loop where that it only does big technology projects every 30 or 40 years, which means that when they are actually delivered, they're already out of date.

[Ari Shapiro]

I'm just trying to imagine using a phone from the 1980s or a car from the 1980s. The gap between that technology and the present day is so wide, it is incredible that thousands of Americans fly every single day putting their life and safety in the hands of technology that is that old and out of date.

[David Grizzle]

It is, in fact, that old and out of date.

[Ari Shapiro]

Ari well, there's that Whole set of technology problems. But then there's also the challenge of personnel. Are there enough trained air traffic controllers to do the job of this size that we have today?

[David Grizzle]

No, Ari, there are not. We are short several thousand controllers. And even at the pace of hiring that we are undertaking right now, we will not be able to keep up with retirements and attritions unless we make further changes both to the hiring process and to the training technology which prepares new hires to become controllers.

[Ari Shapiro]

And does the shortage exacerbate the shortage? Because when you don't have enough people and you don't have enough trainers, it's harder to get the people and train up the folks you need.

[David Grizzle]

You're exactly right. When you're short of staff in the facilities, it's very hard to pull people off of directing traffic airplanes in order to do on the job training, which is an essential component of preparing a controller to actually be able to direct traffic themselves. So it is in fact a self exacerbating problem.

[Ari Shapiro]

Let's talk about how we got to this point. Because the current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, blamed the Biden administration, it's also been pointed out that President Trump cut FAA staff earlier this year. Who do you hold accountable?

[David Grizzle]

Let me say first of all that I've been involved in the airline industry for over 40 years and I have never seen a secretary more intensely engaged in aviation than what Secretary Duffy is. And so I have a lot of optimism based on that. But going back to your question, Ari, this problem is decades in the making. The faa, the air traffic control system, has been underfunded for decades. And the core underfunding status is exacerbated by these government shutdowns and threatened government shutdowns, which seem to be occurring almost on an annual basis now. And each of those interrupts the program development that had been funded. And so we're not getting our full money's worth, even for what is appropriated, because of all of the interruptions in the funding.

[Ari Shapiro]

If you had a blank check, would you be able to fix this? Is it just a matter of money?

[David Grizzle]

It is not entirely a matter of money. We also need to change the procurement process because, Ari, any private sector company does not replace its technology in large bundles every 40 years. It is constantly engaged in a process of iterative and repetitive technology renewal. And that's the way you keep a high tech business in a state of the art situation. And unfortunately, that type of acquisition program is not supported by the federal procurement system.

[Ari Shapiro]

I guess the bottom line question is, should Americans feel safe flying right now.

[David Grizzle]

Ari, I would not hesitate to fly anytime, anywhere with my grandchildren. The system is safe, and at the same time, safety is not a line in the sand which you're either on one side of or the other. Safety is a process, and the system is very safe. And at the same time, the margin of safety is narrower than what it was 10 years ago.

[Ari Shapiro]

That's David Grizzle, former COO and head of air traffic control for the Federal Aviation Administration. Thank you for talking with us.

[David Grizzle]

Thank you, Ari.

[Ari Shapiro]

This episode was produced by Alejandro Marquez Hanse, Connor Donovan and Noah Caldwell. It was edited by William Troup. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. It's CONSIDER this from npr. I'm Ari Shapiro.

[Lana Schmies]

On the Indicator from Planet Money podcast, we're here to help you make sense of the economic news from Trump's tariffs.

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[Tammy Duckworth]

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[Ari Shapiro]

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[Tammy Duckworth]

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