Nationwide airports face a substantial dispatcher deficit, with CBS reporting that approximately 90% of airports are currently struggling to staff this critical position.
Air traffic control chaos, according to CBS sources, has been causing a ruckus at airports nationwide. Recently, it was reported that only one air traffic controller was managing a tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport during a collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter – a task typically handled by two individuals.
CBS also uncovered alarming stats about the number of fully trained air traffic controllers across the country. Only around 2% of towers have met their targets, with just 8% accounting for those still in training. Worryingly, not a single national air traffic control center serving high-altitude routes had enough fully trained controllers to meet their objectives, as per the channel's report.
To reach their staffing targets, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aims to recruit around 14,600 controllers. However, CBS reports that the country's air traffic control system is currently at only 72% of that target, with around 87% including trainees.
The FAA attributes the shortfall to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing reduced hiring and training targets during this period. As a protective measure, certain activities were canceled or significantly reduced to protect employees and maintain operations, according to their report.
In a tragic incident on January 29, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane crashed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 people on board. According to the Russian Embassy in the USA, victims included Russian figure skating world champions coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, as well as Innа Volyan-skaya, a bronze medalist at the USSR championships in pair skating.
These coaches had been working as figure skating coaches in the USA. As the story unfolds, it's clear that the FAA's staffing crisis is a pressing issue affecting the safety and efficiency of air traffic control operations across the nation. While efforts to modernize the system are underway, the lingering effects of the pandemic and challenges in retaining skilled personnel have left the air traffic control system dangerously understaffed.
- The staffing crisis at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is raising concerns within the general-news industry, as the agency is currently only at 72% of its target to recruit 14,600 air traffic controllers, with around 87% including trainees.
- The aviation industry, particularly air traffic control, has been facing difficulties, with recent reports indicating that only 2% of towers have met their targets, and no national air traffic control center serving high-altitude routes has enough fully trained controllers to meet their objectives.
- The transportation sector, specifically airports, has been affected by these falling standards in air traffic control, as evidenced by the horrific accident on January 29 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which claimed the lives of 67 people, including Russian figure skating world champions coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
