Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation are demanding answers about a recent FAA system failure that resulted in a halt of U.S. air traffic for the first time since 9/11.
Acting FAA director Billy Nolen appeared before the committee on Feb. 15 to testify about the failure of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system, which resulted in the delayed takeoff of nearly 10,000 flights and the cancellation of more than 1,000 others.
In opening statements, senators voiced a larger frustration with the inadequacy of the National Airspace System (NAS) despite ongoing congressional funding for improvements.
Referring to the challenge of modernizing the system, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said, “The FAA, as a significant component of that circumstance, needs our help, but it also needs to get its act together.”
The NOTAM system provides notifications to pilots about hazards along their route, such as runway closures, large flocks of birds, volcanic ash, and light outages on tall buildings.
When the system failed on Jan. 11, Nolen ordered a halt of airline departures lasting from 7:15 a.m. to 9:07 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
An investigation later revealed that the problem was caused by human error when a contract employee unintentionally deleted computer files while performing routine maintenance.
Pilots have long complained that NOTAM messages are difficult to read because they are printed in all-caps using the outdated International Telegraph Alphabet characters and obsolete abbreviations.
Frustrated Lawmakers
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the ranking member of the committee, pointed out that funding to update the NOTAM system had been provided to the FAA for 10 years in a row, yet no action had been taken.
Cruz also expressed frustration at what he described as a lack of leadership at the FAA.
“I fear it is emblematic of a culture afraid to innovate, stuck operating efficiently, and illustrative of why President [Joe] Biden needs to choose an administrator for the FAA with a proven ability to manage change within large organizations and with the requisite aviation and safety experience,” Cruz said.
Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) echoed frustration over the current state of affairs and pointed to the need for improvement.
“These incidents are concerning. They impact Americans’ confidence in our aviation system. Infrastructure is critical to American safety and security. So we need to accelerate building a National Airspace System for the 21st century,” Cantwell said.
Nolen, a former airline pilot, and longtime aviation administrator acknowledged problems at the agency but said he believes it is on a path to improvement.
“We are experiencing the safest period in aviation history, but we do not take that for granted,” Nolen said.
“We’re confident that we are taking the right steps here, and we look forward to working with the committee in this Congress and developing a long-term FAA reauthorization bill that accelerates the next era of aviation, one that is safe, efficient, sustainable, and open to all.”
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