Front Burner (CBC)

Episode Title: Is flying getting more dangerous?
Host: Jayme Poisson
Guest: Lori Aratani, Aviation Reporter, The Washington Post
Date: February 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles growing public anxiety about aviation safety following several recent, high-profile plane crashes in North America and worldwide. Host Jayme Poisson talks to Lori Aratani from The Washington Post, who covers the aviation industry, about these incidents, what is known so far, whether flying is actually getting more dangerous, and the political and regulatory context—especially amid policy turbulence in the U.S.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent High-Profile Aviation Incidents

[00:46–11:00]

• Toronto Crash: Delta flight from Minneapolis lands at Pearson Airport; hard landing leads to wing hitting ground, fire, and rollover. Miraculously, all 76 passengers and four crew survive, though many are injured.
  • Investigation ongoing: No quick conclusions; will analyze weather, aircraft, crew actions, and black boxes.
  • “Lots of experts have talked about how it looked like a regular landing—until it didn’t.” (Lori Aratani, 03:15)
• D.C. Crash: A commercial jet collides midair with a Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, killing all 67 on the plane and three military personnel—the deadliest U.S. crash in 20+ years.
  • Complex, crowded airspace; possible confusion by helicopter pilots; possible equipment and altitude monitoring issues.
  • Tower was understaffed—positions combined the night of the accident.
• Other U.S. incidents:
  • Arizona: Two small planes collide midair; two killed.
  • Alaska: Commuter plane disappears, ten killed.
  • Philadelphia: Medical transport plane crashes, killing all on board and a person on the ground.

2. Are Smaller Planes Less Safe?

[08:59–10:43]

• Regulatory Layers: Large commercial aircraft and regional jets face much stricter oversight, robust pilot requirements, and engineering standards than small, general aviation planes.
  • Smaller airports often lack control towers, increasing risk.
  • General aviation pilots may have less experience, but that's not always the case.
• “Layers and layers of safety are built into aircraft that carry large numbers of people.” (Aratani, 10:20)

3. Are More Crashes Occurring—Is Flying Now Riskier?

[11:00–13:29]

• Despite the visibility of major crashes, air travel remains statistically far safer than driving (over 29,000 U.S. road deaths in first 9 months of 2024; air crashes are rare).
• U.S.: First fatal commercial air crash since 2009; first major loss of life in over 20 years in D.C. crash.
• Historical Context: In the 1970s-80s, fatal air crashes were routine; sweeping regulatory action in the 1990s made them exceedingly rare.
  • “Maybe they’re so rare that when we do have one, it’s jarring.” (Aratani, 13:10)

4. Politics, Policy Changes & FAA Staffing Crisis

[13:58–17:26]

• Trump Administration Air Safety Policy:
  • Stephen Bradbury, Trump’s nominee for Deputy Secretary of Transportation, drew skepticism for his role during the Boeing Max crisis and alleged lack of transparency.
  • Administration pushes for cuts and deregulation—“not interested in putting more regulations out there.” (Aratani paraphrasing, 16:20)
• Department of Government Efficiency & FAA Cuts:
  • Mass firings of probationary FAA employees (hundreds affected); Administration claims these are not safety-critical roles, but lawmakers are skeptical.
  • Loss of even “non-safety-critical” staff could erode support and maintenance systems vital for safety.

5. System Stresses: Understaffing, Aging Technology, Musk’s Role

[18:48–22:40]

• Ongoing Stress: Shortages of air traffic controllers—estimated 3,000 fewer than needed nationwide—make the system more brittle.
  • Controllers’ job “tough, stressful job…very high standards.” (Aratani, 19:20)
  • FAA sometimes asks airlines to reduce flights or use larger planes to match controller capacity.
• Aging Technology: Some towers still use legacy equipment like floppy disks; maintenance eats up budget for upgrades.
• Elon Musk's Involvement:
  • As “Department of Government Efficiency” head, Musk advocates modernization, but his role as both user and regulator raises conflict-of-interest alarms.
  • Musk has a history of adversarial interactions with the FAA (e.g., SpaceX fines, legal threats).

6. Boeing’s Safety Troubles

[23:18–26:17]

• Ongoing investigations into headline-grabbing incidents (door plug blowout on 737 Max, Dreamliner drop causing injuries).
• FAA puts Boeing on “corporate probation,” withholds approval for production increases until safety compliance is proven.
• New CEO Kelly Ortberg vows to refocus on building safe planes under scrutiny from regulators, airlines, and public.
  • “People are hoping that Kelly Ortberg can fix what’s wrong with that company.” (Aratani, 26:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the rarity of large-plane crashes now:
  “If you look at the statistics, I guess you’re more in danger driving to the airport than you are actually getting on an airplane.” (Aratani, 11:04)

• On the impact of staffing changes and cuts:
  “Is a technician that repairs equipment at a tower…safety critical? Well, if you want your equipment to work, perhaps he is.” (Aratani, 17:56)

• On outdated technology:
  “In some towers, you know, the equipment is so old that they still use floppy disks…Some of the younger air traffic controllers that they’re bringing in have never seen one.” (Aratani, 21:15)

• On political rhetoric around diversity and safety after the D.C. crash:
  “The idea that DEI or somehow the FAA had lowered the standards for reasons of diversity just isn’t true. FAA officials say they maintain the same high standards they’ve always had for air traffic.” (Aratani, 07:17)

• On Elon Musk and regulatory conflicts:
  “People are concerned about Elon Musk getting involved in the FAA, because he’s a user of the system. It seems like a major conflict of interest.” (Aratani, 22:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:58–01:35] — Toronto Delta crash summary and survivor accounts
• [03:38–06:29] — Deadly D.C. crash breakdown and early investigation
• [06:29–07:17] — Addressing political narratives on FAA standards
• [08:13–10:43] — Spate of small-plane accidents and relative safety
• [11:00–13:29] — Historical context: are crashes actually increasing?
• [14:37–17:05] — FAA/administrative shake-ups, Bradbury’s confirmation
• [17:26–18:48] — FAA staffing cuts and Congressional concern
• [18:48–22:08] — System stress: controller shortage and old tech
• [22:08–22:40] — Musk’s regulatory role and industry backlash
• [23:18–26:17] — Boeing’s string of incidents and regulatory oversight

Conclusion

While recent crashes have shaken public faith and drawn intense media focus, Lori Aratani emphasizes that commercial air travel remains extraordinarily safe—safer than any other form of transportation, and far safer than it was in previous decades. Nonetheless, there are real concerns: FAA staffing shortages, aging infrastructure, political interference, and lingering industry problems (such as with Boeing) all test the system’s resilience. Policymakers face the challenge of maintaining trust and safety amid rising demand and turbulent political winds.

Host Closing:
“Okay, I think that’s a good place for us to leave this conversation. Lori, thank you so much for this. Appreciate it.” (Jayme Poisson, 26:17)