The Biden admin 'didn't spend anything' on air traffic control, says Transportation Secretary Duffy

[rangerrebew]

The Biden admin 'didn't spend anything' on air traffic control, says Transportation Secretary Duffy

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy discusses a 2024 Government Accountability Office report about the FAA's air traffic control systems on 'The Evening Edit.'

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-biden-admin-didn-t-spend-anything-on-air-traffic-control-says-transportation-secretary-duffy/vi-AA1EhFQX?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=52a30cc70b6c4977bb8ac61efe8ae605&ei=42

[rangerrebew]

They spent money on air traffic control, well kind of.  They spent money on DEI.

[verga]

They spent money on air traffic control, well kind of.  They spent money on DEI.

Which resulted in more accidents and fatalities.

[BobfromWB]

All air traffic control across the US still uses copper wires, radar systems from the late 80s-early 90s, floppy 8" disks for its antiquated computers, 92% of the FAA budget goes to maintain these systems. There was an incident when radars failed and the Tower could no longer 'see' the planes.

It would take years to modernize the entire system, plus dedicated and allocated Congressional funds.

[DefiantMassRINO]

8" floppy disks?  Whoa, that is old.  Does anyone even make those any more?  Where do you buy floppy disks now that Radio Shack is closed?

The last time I saw one of those was in the late 1980s/early 1990s for use in an Attachmate Word Processing Computer. 

[BobfromWB]

8" floppy disks?  Whoa, that is old.  Does anyone even make those any more?  Where do you buy floppy disks now that Radio Shack is closed?

The last time I saw one of those was in the late 1980s/early 1990s for use in an Attachmate Word Processing Computer.

Maybe they bought box car loads at fire sale prices ... marked up 1000% for government consumption, of course.

[mountaineer]

Instead they spent their time focused on changing the name of “cockpit” to “flight deck.”

https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1919841604375879786

[LadyLiberty]

Maybe they bought box car loads at fire sale prices ... marked up 1000% for government consumption, of course.

So I guess you like that photo that I took?  No filter or enhancement, just the way that God made it.

[Fishrrman]

ranger wrote:
"They spent money on air traffic control, well kind of.  They spent money on DEI."

...Instead of spending it to hire all those white male applications (who never got hired because they were white and male).

Could that be why there are numerous "vacancies" in ATC positions right now...

[BobfromWB]

So I guess you like that photo that I took?  No filter or enhancement, just the way that God made it.

That's yours? Yes thanks it fits my retirement plan

[mystery-ak]

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Unveils Plans for a ‘State-of-the-Art Air Traffic Control System’
Hannah Knudsen 9 May 2025

The Department of Transportation, led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, has unveiled plans for a new “state-of-the-art air traffic control system” which leaders believe will be the “envy of the world.”

Duffy made the point that the current infrastructure was put in place when Elvis was a star.

“Really really old. It all has to be new, state-of-the-art,” he said.

The plan involves the FAA replacing what the press release describes as “core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage modern travel.”

“We have a system that is built for the past, we are proposing a system built for the future,” it adds, focusing on four key components of infrastructure, which it identified as communications, surveillance, automation, and facilities.

The press release identified 6 “critical actions” that must take place, which are as follows:

    * Replacing antiquated telecommunications with new fiber, wireless, and satellite technologies at over 4,600 sites, including 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches.
    * Replacing 618 radars which have gone past their life cycle.
    * Addressing runway safety by increasing the number of airports with Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) to 200.
    * Building six new air traffic control centers for the first time since the 1960s and replacing towers and TRACONs.
    * Installing new modern hardware and software for all air traffic facilities to create a common platform system throughout towers, TRACONs, and centers.
    * Addressing the specific challenges that face Alaska by adding 174 new weather stations.

Additionally, Duffy said they are going to focus on creating a pipeline of new air traffic controllers, as they have been 3,000 controllers short. However, he said this process takes time. The coronavirus era, he explained, largely affected the pipeline of new controllers coming in through the academy.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/05/09/transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-unveils-plans-for-a-state-of-the-art-air-traffic-control-system/

[BobfromWB]

The money needs to be funded upfront and not subject to cancellation by some other Congress, Duffy expanded.

[DefiantMassRINO]

There needs to be fiscal oversight of the procurement process.  You never give a home contractor 100% upfront.

The reason don't have a more modern air traffic control system is because previous attempts have failed or been abandoned after they ran behind schedule and over budget.

They should only get additional funds if they meet milestones on time and on budget.

[Fishrrman]

"Duffy said they are going to focus on creating a pipeline of new air traffic controllers, as they have been 3,000 controllers short."

Start hiring qualified white males again.

[Smokin Joe]

"Duffy said they are going to focus on creating a pipeline of new air traffic controllers, as they have been 3,000 controllers short."

Start hiring qualified white males again.

Eliminate all the checkboxes (if all that crap isn't supposed to matter, then don't even ask).

Hire on merit alone.

[LadyLiberty]

That's yours? Yes thanks it fits my retirement plan

Yep. I took it at Tropic of Cancer beach on Little Exuma in the Bahamas. Lovely people, not over-developed, small town feel in the Exumas and low crime.