
-
Honey, candles and California: Meghan Markle's new show goes live
-
Dortmund held by Lille in Champions League first leg
-
Eagles ink record new deal with Barkley
-
Young Gunners fire rampant Arsenal into Champions League box seat against PSV
-
Diaz earns Real Madrid lead on Atletico in Champions League derby clash
-
Global stocks tumble as Trump proceeds with more US tariffs
-
Trump to lay out vision to Congress amid Ukraine and trade tensions
-
Liverpool boss Slot plays down 'best team' tag ahead of PSG showdown
-
Arab leaders endorse plan to rebuild Gaza under Palestinian Authority
-
Late goals put Villa in command of Champions League tie against Club Brugge
-
Car bomb attack in northwest Pakistan kills 12, wounds dozens
-
'We will endure': Mexican truckers stoic in face of Trump tariffs
-
Germany's Merz vows billions for defence, economy
-
Angry Gambhir hits out at critics of India's one-venue advantage
-
Trade war brings fear, uncertainty to Canadian border city
-
Syria interim president seeks pressure on Israel to withdraw from south
-
Competition drives down Nigeria petrol prices
-
'Stranded' NASA astronaut backs Musk in rescue row
-
How will Mexico respond to Trump's tariffs?
-
Tesla shares fall on weak China auto sales
-
US Supreme Court looks set to shoot down Mexico suit against gunmakers
-
Double car bomb attack kills 10 at Pakistan military compound
-
Putin hails Myanmar ties as junta chief visits Moscow
-
UN human rights experts criticise 'unneccessary' and 'unlawful' Olympic security
-
'Easy' route impossible in Champions League: Barca's Flick
-
Smith says 'positives' for Australia despite Champions Trophy exit
-
Mavs' Irving ruled out for season with ACL injury - reports
-
Abbas says PA ready to run Gaza as Arab leaders discuss reconstruction
-
China, Canada retaliate against Trump's 'dumb' tariff war
-
EU chief unveils 800-billion-euro plan to 'rearm' Europe
-
Swiss prosecutors seek suspended sentences for Blatter and Platini
-
Chaos as Serbia opposition set off flares in parliament to back protests
-
Seize or freeze? Friction in Europe over Russian assets for Ukraine
-
Stock markets, oil slide on trade war fears as US tariffs bite
-
China, Canada retaliate in 'dumb' Trump tariff war
-
Vance denies criticizing British, French armies
-
Tunisia puts opposition figures on mass trial decried as 'absurdity'
-
Zelensky appeals to Trump after aid halt
-
Kohli leads India to Champions Trophy final with victory over Australia
-
South Africa preparing for knock-out game as any other, says Bavuma
-
Dior's Chiuri creates elemental show for what could be her last
-
Trump to tout new 'American dream' to Congress despite Ukraine, tariff tensions
-
'No holding back', say Bayern before Leverkusen showdown
-
Liverpool boss Slot accused of foul-mouthed rant at ref
-
Eurovision chiefs promise 2025 show 'all about surprises'
-
Fears grow that last boat in Vendee Globe will miss cut-off
-
Peru's 'first poor president' on trial for rebellion
-
Wales wing Adams ruled out of Scotland Six Nations clash
-
Eurovision organisers say 2025 show 'all about surprises'
-
Luis Enrique says Slot has created 'almost perfect' Liverpool

Overwhelmed? DC crash puts spotlight on US air traffic agency
Prior to this week's fatal airplane crash in Washington, the US air traffic control (ATC) system was regarded as an understaffed operation beset with old and sometimes obsolete equipment.
While the investigation into the collision between a regional passenger jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter remains at an early phase, the tragic end to the United States' 16-year streak of no fatal commercial air crashes promises to keep the ATC's issues in focus.
A government auditor warned last year the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) troubling record on technology upgrades risked leaving it overwhelmed amid rising demand.
Turning things around "will be the work of many years and billions of dollars," Kevin Walsh of the Government Accountability Office told a Senate panel.
Longstanding troubles have led to periodic efforts to privatize US air traffic control -- something conservatives were positioning for ahead of the second Trump administration.
In December, the libertarian Cato Institute described the ATC system as "antiquated, mismanaged and... headed for a crisis," arguing the ATC was ideal for privatization under White House advisor and tech billionaire Elon Musk's push to slim down government.
But Michael McCormick, a former FAA control tower manager, noted that privatization campaigns have previously failed because of opposition from established aviation interests.
"This tragic accident is definitely going to put a spotlight on the national air traffic system and may finally result in a proper funding level so the system can be upgraded and maintained," he said in an interview.
McCormick credited newer technology with enabling the ATC system to shift from ground- to satellite-based infrastructure, facilitating the ability of controllers to transmit messages directly to planes without using a phone.
- Staffing crunch -
The agency's staffing shortfall is a longstanding problem, McCormick added, due partly to the mandatory retirement age and periodic government shutdowns that have hit recruitment.
These problems worsened during the pandemic, which temporarily halted training.
A shortage of air traffic controllers became a major gripe when airlines began ramping up service amid a surge in travel demand from consumers eager to see the world after Covid-19 lockdowns.
Busy hubs like New York City and Miami now have two-thirds or fewer of the number of needed air traffic controllers.
In light of the shortage, the Federal Aviation Administration has waived minimum flight requirements at New York airports, allowing carriers to fly fewer flights while still retaining their takeoff and landing slots.
The FAA has renewed this waiver -- first granted in 2023 -- through October 2025 in a sign the agency does not expect the air traffic controller labor crunch to ease this summer.
Industry officials point to a FAA report which cited a staff shortage of about 3,000 controllers.
There were around 10,800 air traffic controllers at the end of 2024. The agency hired more than 1,800 last year and has a goal of hiring 2,000 this year, the Department of Transportation said in December.
Airlines for America, which represents major US carriers, has worked with the FAA and universities to expand controller training at more schools, expanding capacity beyond the FAA's training center in Oklahoma City.
Louisiana Tech University was recently approved by the agency to offer curricula. It will begin offering basic instruction this spring under its four-year undergraduate program.
The FAA "really want us to get in the program," said Matthew Montgomery, head of professional aviation at Louisiana Tech University. "They want more people in there to relieve the stresses."
A.Rodriguezv--AMWN