By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A group representing major U.S. airlines said it is imperative the Federal Aviation Administration accomplish some “quick wins” in the $12.5 billion overhaul of the aging air traffic control system, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu in a previously unreported letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA should quickly implement airspace modernization designs, buy simulators to improve controller training, lay telecommunications fiber and buy new radars and radios.
“These initial wins will create tangible benefits for the traveling and shipping public, help coordinate messaging on progress and boost optimism on the prospects of moving the project to completion,” Sununu, who heads the group that represents American Airlines, United Airlines Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, wrote.
Duffy has said he wants air passengers to see progress by the start of next summer’s travel season. He wants Congress to approve another $19 billion on top of the initial $12.5 billion to completely overhaul the system.
USDOT and FAA did not immediately comment. The FAA has faced criticism for prior lagging modernization efforts.
The U.S. air traffic control system is badly in need of overhaul and routinely suffers serious technology outages. Duffy has said the FAA has been forced at times to go to eBay to get spare parts. A government report last year said 51 of its 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable.
The letter said the FAA should reduce training time for new controllers, accelerate plans to eliminate paper strips to track planes, deploy remote tower technology at several untowered locations, move faster to eliminate floppy disks and deploy new cloud-based controller displays.
“Reducing the controller training washout rate would increase the number of controllers,” Sununu wrote.
The air traffic control network’s woes were years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January between a U.S. Army helicopter and regional American Airlines jet that killed 67 spiked public alarm.
A shortage of controllers for more than a decade has repeatedly delayed flights and many are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks. The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels.
USDOT last week interviewed the two candidates vying to become the project manager of the multi-billion dollar effort.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Diane Craft)
