RADAR OUTAGE AT GRAND RAPIDS AIRPORT HIGHLIGHTS “FIX ON FAIL” APPROACH DEFICIENCIES

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18 Jul

Older Radar System Called Into Service After Failure of Primary Backup Units

WASHINGTON, DC—At approximately 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 16, the failure of an air conditioning unit forced the closure of a facility that houses a radar system at Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford International Airport. The loss of the primary radar system forced the use of a backup radar system, which reduced functionality and slowed down air traffic. The incident has highlighted concerns about both the causes and impact of such a serious problem.

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POWER OUTAGE AT BOSTON CONSOLIDATED TRACON RAISES MAJOR CONCERNS

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18 Jul

Draws Attention to Staffing Issues and Management Responsibility

WASHINGTON, DC - Last week, radar screens went blank and radio communications were briefly lost as routine maintenance was performed at Boston Consolidated TRACON (BCT). The outage resulted in numerous delays and cancellations and has raised serious concerns among the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), the union that represents Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technicians.

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CRITICAL HOUSE VOTE SET FOR THURSDAY ON CLOSURE OF FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS

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18 Jul

Congressional Support Needed

WASHINGTON, DC—A critical vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is set for Thursday on an amendment that would prevent the closure of 38 flight service stations.

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HOUSE PASSES KEY AMENDMENT TO PRESERVE AIR SAFETY

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18 Jul

Amendment Passes With Bipartisan Support, Ensuring Federal Role in Safety of American Air Travel

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the House of Representatives passed a key amendment that prohibits the privatization of 58 flight service stations and the ultimate closing of 38 of these facilities. The Sanders-Hostettler-Herseth-LoBiondo-DeLauro-Shays amendment (to HR 3058, the House Transportation, Treasury, HUD, Judiciary, and District of Columbiaappropriations bill)passed 238 to 177.

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SYRACUSE RADAR OUTAGE RAISES SAFETY, STAFFING QUESTIONS

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18 Jul

17-Hour Outage Should Have Been Fixed Immediately

WASHINGTON, DC - A 17-hour outage of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS), the air traffic control system used in managing terminal airspace, at Syracuse’s Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility over the Fourth of July weekend raised concerns among aviation technicians regarding the impact of staffing shortages on aviation safety.

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FAA REFUSES TO HIRE SAFETY INSPECTORS AT KENTUCKY FLIGHT STANDARDS OFFICE

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18 Jul

More Inspectors Urgently Needed to Meet Growing Demand

WASHINGTON, DC - Despite growing demand for aviation safety oversight, the FAA continues to short-staff its inspector workforce. Most recently, overwhelmed inspectors and local management at the Kentucky Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Louisvillerequested that the FAA fill 14 inspector positions. In response, the FAA filled only one of these important positions according to theProfessional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), the union representing FAA safety inspectors and technicians.

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