Feds vow to overhaul US air traffic control system while fixing problems at troubled Newark airport
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art air traffic control system.
It comes as Newark Airport contends with 40 flight cancellations on Thursday and more than 167 flight delays.
The upgrades include replacing old telecommunications equipment and radars as well as installing new hardware and software.
Six new air traffic control centers will be built and more airports will use the surface awareness initiative system to improve runway safety.
Duffy said this will make flying safer, reduce delays and outages and improve efficiency.
"We are on it. We are going to fix it. We are going to build a brand new system for all of you and your families and the American people," Duffy said.
Duffy says he needs all of the money upfront from Congress to complete the overhaul in three to four years.
The FAA announced on Wednesday immediate steps to fix the ongoing cancellations and delays.
That includes expanding and upgrading its telecommunications connection lines that feed radar data from New York to the Philadelphia Tracon facility.
That's where controllers handle Newark's aircraft arrivals and departures.
The FAA also stated it is in the process of strengthening its pipeline of air traffic controllers staffing at the Philadelphia Tracon facility.
Delays and cancellations have plagued Newark Airport as the FAA slowed the rate of arrivals to work on the equipment and staffing issues.
The staffing shortages worsened when several air traffic controllers took trauma leave after they lost radar and communications with planes packed with passengers for more than a minute last Monday.
"It's a very long time not to have comms and even a longer time not to have radar," said Michael McCormick, a certified flight controller.
"The air traffic control system that we use today is anywhere from 25 to 50 years old. We have copper wires, not fiber," Duffy said.
Duffy has said he hopes the situation in Newark will improve by summer, when an ongoing runway construction project is scheduled for completion.
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