Air Traffic Controller Calls Newark Airport Outage the ‘Most Dangerous Situation’: What You Need to Know

Last week, Newark Liberty International Airport faced a meltdown of its air traffic system, leading to chaos and significant delays. An air traffic controller described the event as “the most dangerous situation you could have,” highlighting the ongoing challenges within the airport’s air traffic control infrastructure.

On April 28, a communication drop at the Philadelphia air traffic control facility disrupted thousands of flights. Many controllers have since taken trauma leave, exacerbating a national shortage in this critical area. As reported, planes arriving at Newark experienced average delays of four hours, with no immediate end in sight.

One controller, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled returning from a break to find his coworkers in shock. They had endured a 60- to 90-second outage, during which they couldn’t see planes on radar or communicate with pilots. “It was hectic,” he said. “We were trying to figure out what was working and what wasn’t.”

The outage affected radar data from an FAA facility in Westbury, New York. This facility had previously managed Newark’s airspace but transferred control to Philadelphia last July. The connection relied on outdated technology, described by sources as akin to using “a long extension cord.”

The outage stemmed from a single data feed, which the controller noted lacked redundancy. “If it goes down, we lose everything,” he explained. This same feed had failed multiple times before, causing substantial issues, including one incident where controllers could not communicate with a FedEx flight that nearly entered restricted airspace.

According to flight tracking site Flightradar24, about 15 to 20 flights were directly affected during the outage. Analysis of the situation showed the reliance on an aging system, as confirmed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. He remarked, “We use floppy disks. We use copper wires,” criticizing how this antiquated system couldn’t effectively manage current air traffic demands.

Duffy also revealed that primary communication lines failed, and backup systems did not activate immediately. A source compared the experience to “driving with a blindfold on.” Colin Scoggins, a former air traffic controller, reflected on the fear that comes with losing communication with pilots, noting that it could be “very traumatic.”

LiveATC.net recordings captured chilling conversations between controllers and pilots during the crisis. Scoggins stated, “You want to be in control. When that’s taken away, it can be very traumatic.”

The psychological toll was significant, as five FAA employees took 45 days of trauma leave after the event. The anonymous controller shared, “This takes a toll on you… it feels like we are not being heard.”

Aviation analyst Miles O’Brien emphasized the heroism of the controllers, saying they did their best in a failing system that often sets them up for challenges. “There’s only so much stress they can take,” he warned.

These issues point to an urgent need for infrastructure improvement in the U.S. air traffic control system, where outdated technology continues to pose a risk. As delays and disruptions persist, industry experts and the FAA must prioritize upgrading these systems to prevent future incidents.

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