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Remember what air travel was like in the 1950s and 1960’s. It was a luxury where passengers had a required dress code, enjoyed spacious seating, full meals, and great customer service from stewardesses. Oops…can’t use that word anymore!
The downside was that ticket prices were way beyond one’s budget, and safety issues were of concern. Yet as time went on, airlines offered more destinations and ticket prices became more affordable. And in the 70’s standards and attitudes about air travel began to shift. Passengers viewed air travel as a necessity, rather than a privilege.
Sweat pants and jammies replaced the suit and tie, or skirt/dress. Meals literally became a bag of peanuts. They stuffed many more seats into the cabin squeezing out any form of comfortable seating. And good behavior was replaced with literal brawls in the aisles.
To make matters worse, the era of DEI came into full efficaciousness especially during the “Auto-Pen’s administration.” What could possibly go wrong when the FAA swapped merit, skill, and ability for mere diversity and race-based hiring. The position of a pilot or air traffic controller is one in which there is a zero tolerance for errors, misjudgment, or mistakes. Sadly, that is what has happened.
Couple that with a completely antiquated air traffic control system that has not changed much since the 1930s. This is a system that costs airlines and passengers $33 billion per year in operating costs and is making passengers less safe. Why didn’t “Mad Magazine Pete Buttigieg” spend the over $5 billion allotted to fix air traffic control, through the largest infrastructure package, to improve this disaster?
One fix would be to spend that money that is floating around somewhere from the previous administration, on using AI, or even Elon Musk’s Space X software engineers to put into place a safe and effective air traffic control systems. Another idea is to have Congress act (yeah, like when does that ever happen?) and have privatized air traffic control, (like a utility company) with the government used in an oversight capacity only.
Until standards are raised, wokeness is left on the tarmac, and the airline techno-infrastructure at least catches up to the present, I will forgo the unloading my carry on contents into trays through security checking; squeezing into a child-size seat between to large people to whom personal hygiene is not a priority; witnessing an un-hinged passenger strip in the aisle; clip the wing of another airplane during taxiing on the runway, or having a 4-hour layover. Bon voyage!
We also need to root out all DEI hires to make sure everyone in the safety net in the aviation industry, from manufacturing, quality inspectors, maintenance personnel, maintenance inspectors, flight personnel, air traffic control personnel and even cabin flight crew are not part of the stark failure of the last four years of DEI hiring. The public feels that lack of confidence in the entire system.
I served in the Air Force back in the late 1980’s and our maintenance personnel were top notch. We cared about doing the job right and producing a safe aircraft for the pilots. Many of us got A & P licenses and went to work for civilian airlines; however, our generation is retiring, and the current crop of maintainers is, generally, not the cream of the crop.
Ok, so all this way behind tech is not new, and its been thru Congress multiple times in the last 20-or-so with lots of cash dumped into upgrading the ATC system.
or so we thought?
WHERE did all that money go?
I’m a pilot and have been flying both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft for three decades. I have many pilot and air traffic controller friends, all highly professional and safety-minded people. That said, I (we) have been very concerned about the degradation of our air traffic system,over the past few years. While the avionics aboard aircraft themselves have advanced exponentially, the hard and software in our control towers and airport infrastructure has not. The government has been aware of this problem for years and has not addressed the issue.Under Obama/Biden/Harris, the FAA was been much more about DEI and ESG, than safety.
I worked in the NAS on and off for 20 years with the last year being after COVID19 scamdemic. I would walk into an Air Traffic Control Tower and the local techs might be asleep or goofing off during the work day. I would have to look under the ATC panels and find nests of wires with no labeling and looking like rats nests. The electrical posture of the towers is lacking in professional deportment. Most of the delays and issues with late landings and takeoffs is NOT due to weather, but human error, i.e., power cable cut by backhoes, wiring damage or overloading by the equipment and thus a burn out and fire, poor maintenance, under powered power panels and generators, poor installation techniques, etc., etc.. It is always the “next persons problem” to worry about since no one takes responsibility or is held accountable for poor performance. The NAS has been on a “new and improved infrastructure” design for over 20 years. The contractors like BAH, LMCO, Engility, Leidos, SAIC etc. for instance, just spend taxpayers dollars studying a design and producing reams of paper products that can be used for butt wipe. The same people just changing Contracts and making a career of doing nothing productive. Just follow the money and people and it is no mystery why the NAS is so phucted up.
I fly for business quite a bit and so far [knocks on wood] there have been no KNOWN safety issues, and every flight has been relatively on-time. That said, the US government has played political games with the FAA and with upgrading the system, to the point we have fallen behind the rest of the world in air traffic safety. Considering the amount of daily air traffic in the US, that is a sobering thought.
I am of the opinion the only way to do this right is to pull air traffic control away from the Beltway and put it in the hands of private contractors. That way, the technology remains cutting-edge, and our friendly neighborhood DC morons can no longer play political games with our safety.
Quite the coincidence that these radars are going out temporarily right now when Trump and DOGE are cleaning house. I think a person is behind these incidents more than equipment failure. Yes, this stuff needs to be updated, but I think there’s shenanigans going on.
Nearing 80 years, my wife and I have sworn off of traveling by air – anywhere, anytime. Too many DEI hires and too much recreational drug use among those making, flying & repairing aircraft – plus the competent old timers are retiring from all three areas. I can recall the glory days of air travel – seats were mostly comfortable, tickets affordable, people behaved, and I had faith in the pilots and aircraft. And I haven’t even mentioned the last-century air traffic control system. Once early in my career it was easier & quicker to take a $50 roundtrip flight to Atlanta than to drive there for meetings. Those days are long gone and remain only in nostalgic memories.
It’s like every other agency the government has their hands in. The money never gets to where it is supposed to. I can’t name one government agency that runs at or under budget. I haven’t flown in over 10 years and don’t plan on ever again.
I used to love to fly, until the last trip I took. The last airplane trip I took, in 2020, left me very uncomfortable and determined to never get on another airplane again!
Getting my ticket and onboarding was no problem, however, the airplane was crowded, seats were cramped, flight was bumpy and very uncomfortable. I was so relieved to get out of that aluminum tube and get my feet back on the ground that I swore at that time to never do it again.
My children are a 20 hour drive away, but I will take 2 days of driving my own car and enjoying the scenery on the way there and back. No more airplanes for me!
Flying has become more and more of a chore over the past couple decades
I have to go back east for a wedding in September. I’m going to drive.
I’ll never fly again for one simple reason: REAL ID.This is not about safety and fighting terrorism. (Has the TSA ever stopped a terrorist). You go through airport now, having to take off your shoes, can only board with certain sized items like shampoo and toothpaste, etc. We’re treated like criminals with the resources of MacGyver.
REAL ID is all about control, and it’s going to lead to other forms of control. This should concern just as much as who is flying the plane.
While I was working in medical products as a service rep I flew over 2 million air miles. Now I would only fly if it was an absolute emergency.
When I was working I had more air miles than I can count and only one incident stands out that could have been a complete disaster; however, our highly skilled pilot avoided what could have been a mid air collision with another aircraft. Fast forward to today, and these seem to be more common than not. My wife and I drive to Florida from New York for a few weeks of R&R a couple of times every year, and each time after returning home from that long trip we swear we will fly the next time. Age is beginning to prove we are not as young as we were, but the news is proving more and more that flying is not as safe as it once was. Just trying to get to the gate is a hassle. Long security lines, “strip searches” and the invasive scanning took the fun out of flying and replaced it with anxiety, not to mention the cost of luggage and the cramped seating. The antiquated airline safety & control systems; the so called maintenance of the aircraft and the DEI hiring forced upon the airlines by the puppet ruler administration have made driving a much more viable option. As much as driving proves we are not as young as we used to be, we will still take our chances on the road.
We are relying on technology that has been obsolete for over 30 years and our air traffic control teams are understaffed.
Are we safe ?? Mostly, but it’s time for Congress to allocate enough money to drag our antiquated systems into the 21st century and in the meantime, to have sufficient trained staff in place to cover our technological inefficiencies.
There is talk that much of the money saved by Musk (doge) will be returned to us. Instead of doing this, spend it where it does the most good. This is certainly something that needs immediate attention. Stimulus checks are great, however, making flying safe is better.
As a pilot whose degree is professional pilot, I know about the redundancies built into the system
No pilot would fly if they felt it was unsafe to do so. There are procedures for every situation that might be encountered in the air traffic control system and pilot training.
The equipment is still under regulation which makes the system safe. Do accidents happen? Yes. But far less frequently than with other modes of transportation. Every day hundreds of thousands of people are safely transported through the air and they make it to their destinations safely.
Air travel is still safer than any other mode of long distance travel and the built in redundancies are a big part of the reason why.
We have cause for greater hope today because of who is leading the DOT. Shaun Duffy cares about the system and is working hard to get it updated
It will take time, but it will get done. In the mean time systems are in place to cope with the failings of the aging systems.
Didnt get real ID and have no intentions of flying anywhere. This problem was completely ignored by the biden administration who would rather have spent money on ridiculous things, some now being recovered by doge. At least now we have an administration working to fix this issue, but it will take several years to do so. I used to love to fly, back in the day when it was fun to go places. Now I will stay local and take my chances with road rage!
So glad the hyena didn’t get the office BUT there is SO MUCH carnage from the demoncrats that Trump CANNOT undo it all in 4 or even 40 years, and frankly, the damage is so severe and the cancerous rot of DEI and Affirmative action so entrenched, sad to say we are at the decline of this empire. ALL the institutions, especially financial, is at collapse stage. Not possible to FIX it all nor will it happen. Hunker down and prep for the collapse…it’s here!
Ah the days of suits and ties, skirts and dresses, flying high, safely!
There is this program on Tubi called Air Disasters. It has over 18 seasons with 8 episodes or more in each! Watch that and YOU WILL NEVER FLY AGAIN! The maintenance on these airplanes is HORRENDOUS parts that do not fit the plane, ones that are sh*t rigged to make them fit, parts that are put on to repair what’s underneath and what’s underneath is not fixed and then from the pressure of up and down come apart in mid air! It goes on and on. All for the sake of keeping these planes in the air for $$$$$$$ No plane can be on the ground for any length of time! Mechanics that hurry through the repairs never is the plane gone over with a fine tooth comb These companies just don’t care about human life it’s all about the buck! No thank you I’ll take my chances on the road at least YOU have control of the vehicle!
I can remember a particular flight (…on duty as Pilot-in-Command of a chartered business jet) where I received an urgent command from the Air Traffic Controller to “Turn left, NOW! to heading 240 degrees.” We were on descent to some airport in the east. The controller saw a possible conflict with our flight path to that of another aircraft and there was little time to evaluate whether there was possibility of a collision. He later apologized for the sudden heading change, but I was glad he was on the alert and I thanked him for it. My life depended on these dedicated (…and sharp) individuals over the course of 40 years before retirement. Mist Carter said it well in his/her comment, “What could possibly go wrong when the FAA swapped merit, skill, and ability for mere diversity and race-based hiring?” My hat is off to those who are so dedicated to their profession and who often have to deal with antiquated equipment.
Like anything else, we should not wait until it’s so broken it is no longer useful. All appliances need replacement after years of use, all knowledge and technology needs updating. Our country needs to make this a priority.
The Air Traffic Control System needs to be updated to todays technology and a procedure put in place to keep it up to date going forward in the future,
Even better.
How confident are you that the TSA is ably protecting us, given the high amount of Muslims in its ranks?
i donot fly can anyone tell me anything government does well except lie cheat and steal?
Retired – I won’t fly again unless it’s an emergency!
Throw DEI into that mix, at every level, and you have a which’s brew for disaster. Apathy isn’t the answer.
Evidence of malpractice by ideologues. Bring back the technicians.
Why fly at all when you live in Paradise!!!
Why pack, ride to the airport, wait in line to check in and check your luggage, wait to board, find your seats then PRAY you arrive at your destination. Then do it all over again to get home. No thanks.
DEI has been present since Obama… and I have not flown (and won’t) for over ten years. I know that some of you (reading) will think, “oh that’s foolish”… and I often wonder myself. I’m not afraid to die, but I AM NOT WILLING TO DIE because some dummy who was hired because of their skin color, culture background or sexual preferences is in the spot where previously an applicant’s ABILITY was the sole criteria. At 76 I have watchedqualifications for very important jobs (medical, high end technical, pilots and on and on)slide into the pit of “dumb”… I have an acquaintance who has 26 years flying expertise inone of the major airlines. He told me that there are co-pilots who he won’t allow to touch the controls. He said they know so little about flying that it astounds him in the ‘poor’ sense. He won’t fly unless he’s at the controls or KNOWS the pilot. That isa terrible indictment but it is true. I suspect we have the same kind of poor qualifications and experience in other fields but at least then you are on the ground. America is dying and I hope Pres Trump’s leadership will help but I believe the “voters” are too stupid to grasp the situation clearly. They are putting their kids and grandkids in a no win future. Glad I’m old, won’t be here … but “YOU” may be…
Timely article, especially with recent incidents in Newark, NJ where they have had two incidents with the tower losing the ability to track the planes. Then there’s Reagan National with multiple near misses with military aircraft even before the fatal crash.
I can imagine a national school where one applies and may be invited to attend. This school would be the gateway to everything relevant to flight. Total immersion would be the key. Guaranteed employment would be the diploma along with great wages and benefits. Only the best would qualify for these jobs.
My thoughts are quite simple on this matter. Ever since I had items stolen from my un locked luggage, thanks to the TSA, plus the expense of flying and the dearth of meals, if I can’t drive to a certain destination, or utilize another form of transport, such as train, I won’t go to that destination. Certainly it would be a lot faster to fly to say, Toronto or Nova Scotia, & I would love to return to Hawai’i, if I can’t drive to that place, which I can to Toronto, or Nova Scotia for example, or take a cruise ship to Hawai’i, I don’t or won’t go! In other words, I DON’T FLY!
I wasn’t big on flying before but I will NOT fly in the age of DEI. It’s ending but it needs to be eradicated completely.
I would like to know the actual percentage of Americans that fly. Back in the post 9/11 days, congress decided that TSA had to handle security, that the private security companies couldn’t be trusted. I thought then that the population that actually fly should be paying the bill. Of course the TSA had to be union employees of the federal government.
The airlines should be paying for the updates to all factions of the industry. We now have a system subsidized by the federal gov’t. And we all know how well the federal gov’t handles anything they do, the post office comes to mind.
The late, great John Madden knew what he was talking about!
Hopefully, we’re not too late and won’t experience a tragedy or tragedies related to the outdated systems and overworked, short-staffed controllers while the updates occur.
I wonder if ATC equipment on military flight lines (runways/bases) is the same as civilian?
The fact that the current system was developed in the 80’s is frightening!!! There have been significant advancements in technology!! Duffy is the right person for the job!!
There is more computer power and memory on my current smart watch!!!
One should NEVER be complacent. Based on the wording of the questions: question 2 is the obvious answer even though I am very confident; I am confindent because most of the participants in the industry are NOT complacent.
I stopped flying in 2019. I’ll drive where I go….
Besides the old equipment- the public is rude, drunk, high, and looking to record confrontations for likes. Pass thanks.
I have never flown commercially so I have no first-hand experience. But using 40 or 50-year-old technology when the number of flights has grown doesn’t instill a lot of confidence! The same with SS records [on paper] being stored in caves! How about we get into the 21st century! I know DJT will try [if Congress cooperates] to do so!
Back in the 90’s I worked with a company and we were trying to get engaged with the FAA to update the technology because so much was WW2 age – and a lot is still. But FAA didn’t want to tackle it. It’s takes deaths to cause and media to show for the government to take action.
I hate flying and travel in general, got a bit of claustrophobia to boot, so being sealed in an aluminum tube of which I have no control of is something I avoid like the plague! This world has nothing to offer I need to go see that bad.
I have no confidence in air transportation. I have not flown since 2000 when I began to observe the stress of the passenger attendants. If they’re worried, that’s a good reason to stick to ground transport.
De Plane, De Plane! Gotta love DEI. How bout all those illegals from China? Woo Hoo Floo just drink yer Kool aide, son.
I personally never liked to fly – to much of a cattle truck in the sky for me. I took a road trip from Carolina to Pennsylvania by car and a friend of mine traveled to the same destination and I arrived an hour before he did do to delays and lost his luggage as well. No Thanks, just soon take the scenic route.