Three prominent aviation leaders will testify before the Senate’s aviation subcommittee on whether the government shutdown affected safety. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu and Jim Viola, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association will answer questions from members of the subcommittee, which is part of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) the subcommittee chair, said the industry was “severely impacted” and he wants to know how to help. “I look forward to discussing with industry how Congress can work to alleviate the strain on air traffic controllers and TSA agents, as well as ensure safety for passengers and sustainable operations for our airlines, general and business aviation stakeholders,” Moran said.
The FAA issued a revised emergency order on shutdown-related flight restrictions late Wednesday and will not further escalate flight restrictions at 40 airports now that the government shutdown has ended. Shortly after President Donald Trump signed legislation allowing the government to reopen, the agency said restrictions will remain at 6% and not jump to 10% as previously planned. “Accordingly, to maintain the highest standards of safety in the NAS, certain air carriers will be required to reduce their total daily scheduled domestic operations between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local at certain airports by 6 percent, subject to the provisions set forth in this Order.” The severe restrictions on GA aircraft access to 12 major airports will remain in effect.
The logjam in Congress broke with a House vote on Wednesday. The agency did not say what evidence it was using to modify the order, but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that air traffic control staffing was improving. The agency’s national airspace monitoring site showed no staff-related delays or ground stops late Wednesday but did say they were possible at six airports on Thursday morning.
The FAA is not driving the bus right now.
That is for sure.
More like the clown car, but yes, not Duffy at the wheel.
Fun stuff.
I hope all those ailing controllers recover quickly, and that their colleagues who covered for them appreciate their teamwork.
I appreciate your point, but what do we expect a junior controller to do after missing several paychecks? They have to make money elsewhere. After a few weeks and the cash flow gone, how do folks eat? We want them showing up for work hungry or stressed from the Uber hours? They are not the problem. Not funding ATC is the problem, and all politicians are to blame. Those politicians are happy to have voters turn on anyone else. Don’t fall for it. Stay focused. Blue Skies!
There’s a bigger societal issue highlighted in all of this, and that is the impact of not teaching our kids basic economics and good personal financial management practices in primary school. Personal Finance was a required class when I was in high school. The biggest take-aways from that class were 1) Live within your means and 2) Build and maintain an emergency fund of a minimum of three month’s income. Those two things appear to have been lost on the last couple of generations.
The problem is that now, people’s income is not keeping up with things we took for granted, like buying a house or car. Those type of things must be financed or you won’t have them.
Back in Vietnam a Chinese 50 caliber opened up on us while we hid behind a rice paddy dike with dirt flying and rounds going both ways. We were a bunch of Latinos cracking jokes on pure adrenaline. Our platoon sergeant, a Kentuckian, finally snapped, “You Latinos are always laughing. This is serious.” We knew it was serious. That is why we were laughing. You either laugh or cry.
And this shutdown and FAA mess feels the same way. It is serious and everybody knows it, but the situation is so upside down you almost have to laugh and shake your head just to keep from losing it.
Thats exactly what I have been preaching for years. “Galgenhumor”. We had a Turkish Fallafel shop next door and his attitude was…: If you cry hard enough – you will be in pain. If you laugh hard enough – you will be in pain. Its better to be in pain from laughing.