Rough air ahead for the FAA

It’s time the nation’s air transportation system put its tray in the upright position. This winter is turning into one of the most grueling dysfunctional air travel seasons in recent memory. On the heels of Southwest Airlines admitting to a woefully inadequate computer system to manage some 1,600 weather-related cancellations, the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent meltdown of their crucial Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system led to the grounding of all flights in the United States. That’s simply unacceptable.

Unfortunately, as bad as this national failure was, it is just a symptom of a larger problem. The NOTAM shutdown reveals an aging aviation infrastructure that currently supports America’s air transportation “highway” in dire need of investment, innovation, maintenance and upgrades.While Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has made admirable efforts to address our failing infrastructure, Congress needs to take a seat in the cockpit and allocate the necessary funds to put promptly into place major improvements and updates that will guarantee safety, redundancy, and security.

Cancellations and delays are not just a traveler’s curse. Our economy and society simply cannot afford repeated mass shutdowns of our air transportation system. Everything from passenger travel to commercial package deliveries rely heavily on our aviation industry. The daylong Southwest Airlines shutdown cost the airline an estimated $800 million, with their shares falling 2.8%.

Air traffic operations first started using NOTAMs in 1947. While each of these issues have ultimately been resolved, sometimes within hours and other times within days, this is a case of putting the cart before the horse when those cancellations are precipitated by our failing systems. We are merely putting a Band-Aid on what is essentially a deep gash.

From out-of-date infrastructure and equipment, to the shortage of air traffic controllers that caused the FAA to issue delayed travel warnings in August, the FAA needs a major overhaul. Without a serious commitment from Congress, we will continue to see these issues arise, and cancellations and delays run rampant.

In response to the NOTAM failure, the US Travel Association (USTA) agrees, having been quick to call for federal policymakers to commit to modernizing infrastructure. The system failure “is a clear sign that America’s transportation network desperately needs significant upgrades,” said USTA CEO Geoff Freeman, adding that, “our nation’s economy depends on a best-in-class air travel system.” A statement from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association echoed this sentiment: “Everyone involved in this issue understands that systems and technology must be updated.”

While the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Notice to Airmen Improvement Act of 2021, sponsored by Rep. Pete Stauber, it never passed the Senate. The bill would establish an FAA task force to improve the NOTAM pilot alert system and would help address the recent woes.

Last year, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed Congress, allocating $25 billion to airports, with roughly $5 billion for air traffic control facilities. However, Buttigieg has said any NOTAM upgrade may have to wait for a new FAA funding bill.

While an initial finding suggests human error may have caused the recent NOTAM failure that grounded thousands of flights nationwide, we know that it’s just the latest in an ongoing trend of infrastructure failure that must be addressed. It will take nothing short of a focused effort from Congress to create long-term solutions. Without the appropriate intervention from Congress, it is only a matter of time until the next mass aviation breakdown arises. Congress must act now to reverse this trend before the problems become irreparable.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, senior member on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has expressed frustration, saying that, “the FAA is being irresponsible and non-responsive to Congress.” DeSaulnier calls for improving NOTAM training for pilots, updating NOTAM’s infrastructure, and enhancing the capabilities for backup systems. Rep. Sam Graves, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, has also stated that the NOTAM malfunction was inexcusable. “This was a result of the FAA’s failure to properly maintain and operate the air traffic control system,” said Graves. Details concerning the estimated cost of revamping the NOTAM system are not yet available.

Sadly, our nation has a long history of ignoring its infrastructure. From water treatment systems to roads and bridges, it becomes apparent that our air transportation system is suffering the same fate. Identifying a political constituency to support the needed financial investments required to create a 21st century system worthy of our nation remains hard to find. Unless of course it is a member of Congress who is cooling their heels at the airport waiting for a flight whose status is currently marked “Delayed.”