Duffy Announces Major Overhaul of America’s Air Traffic Control Systems

The plans include rebuilding some centers and installing new ground radar sensors on airport tarmacs.
Duffy Announces Major Overhaul of America’s Air Traffic Control Systems
Air traffic controllers keep watch using Data Comm, part of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation system, in the control tower at Miami International Airport on March 6, 2017. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Jacob Burg
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on May 8 announced an ambitious plan to overhaul and upgrade the nation’s air traffic control systems, fulfilling a key policy goal he has advocated for since assuming his post leading the Department of Transportation earlier this year.

Duffy said plans include upgrading telecommunication lines to fiber optics, rebuilding some air traffic control towers and Terminal Radar Approach Controls (TRACONs), and implementing new radios in towers to “communicate between air traffic controllers and with airplanes.”

Jacob Burg
Jacob Burg
Author
Jacob Burg reports on national politics, aerospace, and aviation for The Epoch Times. He previously covered sports, regional politics, and breaking news for the Sarasota Herald Tribune.