US air traffic control system overhaul to be unveiled amid safety concerns

US air traffic control system overhaul to be unveiled amid safety concerns

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is set to unveil a multi-billion-dollar plan Thursday to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control system, following a series of high-profile safety incidents.

WASHINGTON - Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is set to unveil a multi-billion-dollar plan Thursday to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control system, following a series of high-profile safety incidents.

The announcement follows January’s deadly mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport, an April incident in which two planes clipped wings on a DCA runway, and a radar network outage at Newark International Airport that briefly left air traffic controllers without visibility.

Air traffic system overhaul 

What we know:

Aviation experts say these events highlight an overburdened and underfunded system.

A recent Government Accountability Office report found that 51 of the Federal Aviation Administration’s 138 air traffic control facilities are considered unsustainable. Concerns over workforce reductions have also surfaced, prompting the administration to work on boosting pay and morale among FAA personnel.

The Department of Transportation says the new infrastructure initiative will usher in a golden age of transportation. The multi-billion-dollar plan aims to upgrade communications and radar systems to enhance safety and efficiency. Airline unions, industry leaders, and family members of victims of the January crash are expected to attend the announcement.

Congress will need to approve funding for the initiative before it moves forward.