How did our air traffic control system issue get so bad?

[NoDecision]

They said that the systems have not been updated since the late 70's. They are still using Copper wire and old technology. No wonder New Jersey's airports are so fouled up and with delayed and canceled flights. There is a shortage of overworked Air Traffic Controllers and It takes 4 years to train them. Also, it's going to take $Billions to reboot the system to new technology. Maybe Trump should put a tariff on every piece of luggage a passenger brings into the airport to pay for all this. Guess we're going go back to riding trains. 😦

[Syntosi]

Ah, this is a bit of a trap. You dont want "New" systems. There is a very good reason why a lot of military stuff runs on OLD hardware. We have already gone through the "testing phase" where people die with that technology and its simpler in all aspects. If you update the system to a "new" standard then people are going to start dying again from completely preventable mistakes.

There is also a very good reason why it takes so long to train new Air Traffic Controllers. They are literally "the best of the best". Its probably easier to become an Astronaut than an Air Traffic Controller.. because people die when they fuck up.

This is probably the point where I should highlight that Trump did try to reform this in his first term. His solution at that time was to privatize it. In other words, instead of the government handling this incredibly sensitive work, both for public safety but also for national safety, he wants corporations to do it which sounds like a terrible idea to me but who am I to judge right?

So yes, while most administrations has neglected this part, mostly because literally everything else is also on fire, trying to solve this with a dosage of "new technology" is going to end terribly for everyone involved. Air Traffic Control is not about being "efficient". Its about reliability and redundancy, something modern tech is notoriously bad with.

[NoDecision]

What they need is something that can withstand a Nuclear Magnetic Pulse so that it will still function. If that even exists.

[Syntosi]

EM protection exists. Its not actually that hard to do, you just need to be thorough about it. No skipping corners. Its kind of like water-proofing but against magnets. Perfectly achievable with any sort of technology you want to put in there really.

[MisterWack]

Over decades of mess, it wasn’t a light switch from one modern Administration or another. It was building up for years.

We don’t pay our air traffic controllers well, we’ve been reducing their resources, and it is not an ‘entry level’ career where you can get education for cheap then go right to work, it takes a while of training and money to able to enter the ranks.

We fail to ease mental health struggles of air traffic controllers due to so little resources in support of them, not much wages, and too much of a high stakes burden if things don’t go right on top of working long ass shifts that put your brain on fire.

We need to fix this decades mess with programs that aviation business should flat out pay for, establish education that allows ‘lower skilled’ individuals the ability to learn how to transition to the day to day grind, advocate for change in the aviation industry, and push resources for better wages & efforts to help mental health like paid breaks and more employees not less.

[Finchie40]

My good friend works for the airport and he said they fired all the top qualified workers that actually knew what they were doing to keep the planes safe , , He said avoid flying as much as possible if you want to save your life. The reason why most of these plane crashes are occurring , is because of that reason. It’s all about saving money

[Red_Arrow]

We have had accidents pretty much all the time, but not so many. It is only lately that it has become so bad. Experienced personnel have been fired or forced out in the air traffic control field. The people in charge are facing the same changes. Watching the news it is only in the last four months that it has gotten this bad. It does not take a lot of thought to realize who came to power and started making changes all over at that time.

[Avicenna]

Ah, yes, the usual simplistic propaganda. It’s clear you don’t apply any thought whatsoever to any issue, you just blame Trump like a good little Marxist.

[ohsheeT]

Look at every thing we build out of all the people I know there're maybe that could write there Name on there work an d can and will stand by the The quality and the craftsmanship of their work.
I watch people do work around me and it's just, it's so messed up. They don't care bottom line and that's how 3/4 of people are in America. I think anymore they just don't care.

[ProbablyClueless]

A few reasons.

• It's a heavily relied on system that would create massive hiccups as we try to implement the updated system.
• Certain members of the system have been intentionally sabotaging the system by finding work arounds to help less qualified people get hired.
• airports aren't able to pay their air traffic controllers nearly enough.

[katiesmuff]

Money, money, money! After the members of congress get done passing spending bills that will benefit there buddies, none left for the real necessary things that need replaced or repaired.

[WindAtMyBack]

I don't know who "they" are, but "they" are wrong. The tech is most definitely newer than the 70s.

And if they are using copper, so what? How much bandwidth do you think they need and why?

[NoDecision]

It is when some wires shorted out that caused one of the outages is why.

[WindAtMyBack]

Wires can short in any technology. If it's electronic then it can short.

[NoDecision]

They want to use fiber cables like they use in the internet and get rid of copper cables.

[WindAtMyBack]

Government agencies want all kinds of stuff. It's not their money they are spending so they spend away whether they need it or not.

Fiber won't do much. It's such a small part of the system. Plus I don't see why they would need the bandwidth.

[zagor]

When something is so essential it can be very intimidating to try and update it.

I interviewed for a job that involved working on a contract to update the Medicare computer system. The current system ran (runs?) on an old legacy mainframe. But the guy admitted they were terrified of doing the transition because it is so important that f'n it up would have grave consequences for the economy and the healthcare system. And the ATC system is even more life-and-death important.

[shortster]

I think that this is a good documentary on the issue.

https//youtu. be/GiclZKcCr8g? feature=shared

[shortster]

https://youtu.be/GiclZKcCr8g?feature=shared

[DrPepper12]

Because good govt services are something USA Americans don't want to pay for until it's a crisis. Then they lurch from crisis to crisis without funds or a long term plan / vision.

[jahaims]

The government steals the money instead of maintaining infrastructure

[beefcakebradybatson]

It began with Ray-Guns' 1981 dismissal of striking air traffic controllers, and has worsened since, with Trump using the DEI excuse to further shrink the number of ATCs.

[NoDecision]

So you blame Flash Gordon?

[beefcakebradybatson]

Tom "Flash" Gordon was a d**n good relief pitcher in the '90's and aughts.

[FreyaRed]

Do you think your railroad infrastructure is better?

[exitseven]

Typical government. They buy the system but neglect to budget the money for maintenance or upgrades. 30 years go by and people die.

[Surely]

It is called “Kicking the can down the road!” When politicians want their “Pork Barrel “ projects. Something else has to suffer.
As long as things work. There are more important issues?

[Agape93]

It takes time and money nobody in charge wants to spend, and the masses don't matter really.

[ChicoFromThe305]

People are probably just cheating on the exams and shit or something 💀

[Staximus]

I gave up flying about 15 years ago, oh well. I might fly to Hawaii, I have a couple free places to stay there

[WonderingManII]

I have never flown, so I don't know anything about it.

[Anonymous]

The government is not maintaining the infrastructure very well.

[Anonymous]

It's a combination of an aging and dilapidated infrastructure and too many DEI hires.

[RedInnocent69]

More, why is this all of a sudden?

[NoDecision]

All of a sudden because runway mishaps and crashes have just been coming to light.

[Anonymous]

Musk.

[Anonymous]

DEI...

[Sal_Monella]

DEI hiring.