Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jeff and also joins us now our Fox correspondent in Chicago.
What's going on with these air traffic controllers and the
towers around our country? Jeff, good morning, welcome in.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, they're going to be rebuilt and retuned and lots
of new equipment, lots of perhaps new staff. That announcement
from Transportation Secretary Sew Duppy yesterday saying the current system
was built for the past, it's outdated, and there's a
new proposal to build a system for the future. It
consists of for infrastructure components, communications, surveillance, automation, and facilities.
(00:33):
And he's talking, he's talking a complete overhaul JT radar, software, hardware,
telecommunication networks, replacing all the tele telecommunication systems with new
fiber wireless satellite tech at thousands of sites, twenty five
thousand new radios, hundreds of new voice switches that's essentially
(00:55):
connects controllers to aircrafts their VHF and you just aeronautical radios.
Hundreds of radars will be replaced. They're also going to
address runway safety with new traffic survey ground to traffic
surveillance tech, and they're gonna be building some new towers
and six new air traffic control centers.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Well, it's amazing, you know when you heard what happened
at Newark the other day, As the tower says to
the pilot, look, I don't see anybody. We lost connection
with our radar. I have no idea where you are.
And Newark's a pretty busy airport just outside of LaGuardia
and National and there's traffic everywhere there. So when you
hear that, you're thinking what the heck is going on
(01:38):
in these towers? And then as they peel the layers back,
you start to see that a lot of these towers
are still using floppy discs. When it comes to technology,
It's like where have we been in keeping up to
speed with the modern day technology? Not only because it
works better, but also I would think it would enhance
a safer situation for the tower and those pilots flying around.
(02:00):
I mean, where was the Biden administration on all this?
I know, pointing fingers at this point really doesn't matter
who's ever the president needs to take charge here, But
my gosh, looking back, why didn't the FAA come into
the you know, Biden administration's attention.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Well, not only did these screens go dark at the
Newark International Airport. But they did lose radio signal for
about ninety seconds, and we're told obviously it led to
massive delays and slight cancelations. But we're told that many
employees were placed on trauma leave after that incident. But
Duffy said, yesterday, even the President said, yesterday, you went
(02:37):
after a Pete foota Jesse his predecessor, and he says,
decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system
that's showing its age, and then it's time to fix it.
And that's right now. So yeah, she'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah, what's the timeline on the smiths of the daunting task? Meanwhile,
you got pilots up there looking at each other potentially
going no, no waving in you through like the stop side,
no you go for I mean, it's not that easy
when you don't have control over the tower or as
you said, even the you know, the verbal communication went
down for a while. So what's been looking like as
(03:11):
far as getting after the timeline on this? So we
talk in months years?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, we're told it's a three year plan, but that
some of the some of the new technology will be
implemented by twenty twenty seven, so then it's so two
years some of it, some of it earlier than that.
But obviously there's a there's a there's a lot that
they need to tangle, and it's a it's a huge undertaking.
But you know many of these towers, you know, air
(03:36):
traffic control centers, they haven't been refurbished or are updated
since the nineteen sixties. Wow, so so long ago.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Yeah, And I would imagine the worst case scenarios are
going to get the most attention. I would hope Newark
would be at the top of that list. And unless
there's other spots that are even worse off than that,
you have to hate to think about the potential danger
of what could still come down while they're trying to
fix everything. Jumping ASO, Thank you, buddy, have a great weekend.
We'll do it again next week.
Jeff and also joins us now our Fox correspondent in Chicago.
What's going on with these air traffic controllers and the
towers around our country? Jeff, good morning, welcome in.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, they're going to be rebuilt and retuned and lots
of new equipment, lots of perhaps new staff. That announcement
from Transportation Secretary Sew Duppy yesterday saying the current system
was built for the past, it's outdated, and there's a
new proposal to build a system for the future. It
consists of for infrastructure components, communications, surveillance, automation, and facilities.
(00:33):
And he's talking, he's talking a complete overhaul JT radar, software, hardware,
telecommunication networks, replacing all the tele telecommunication systems with new
fiber wireless satellite tech at thousands of sites, twenty five
thousand new radios, hundreds of new voice switches that's essentially
(00:55):
connects controllers to aircrafts their VHF and you just aeronautical radios.
Hundreds of radars will be replaced. They're also going to
address runway safety with new traffic survey ground to traffic
surveillance tech, and they're gonna be building some new towers
and six new air traffic control centers.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Well, it's amazing, you know when you heard what happened
at Newark the other day, As the tower says to
the pilot, look, I don't see anybody. We lost connection
with our radar. I have no idea where you are.
And Newark's a pretty busy airport just outside of LaGuardia
and National and there's traffic everywhere there. So when you
hear that, you're thinking what the heck is going on
(01:38):
in these towers? And then as they peel the layers back,
you start to see that a lot of these towers
are still using floppy discs. When it comes to technology,
It's like where have we been in keeping up to
speed with the modern day technology? Not only because it
works better, but also I would think it would enhance
a safer situation for the tower and those pilots flying around.
(02:00):
I mean, where was the Biden administration on all this?
I know, pointing fingers at this point really doesn't matter
who's ever the president needs to take charge here, But
my gosh, looking back, why didn't the FAA come into
the you know, Biden administration's attention.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Well, not only did these screens go dark at the
Newark International Airport. But they did lose radio signal for
about ninety seconds, and we're told obviously it led to
massive delays and slight cancelations. But we're told that many
employees were placed on trauma leave after that incident. But
Duffy said, yesterday, even the President said, yesterday, you went
(02:37):
after a Pete foota Jesse his predecessor, and he says,
decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system
that's showing its age, and then it's time to fix it.
And that's right now. So yeah, she'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah, what's the timeline on the smiths of the daunting task? Meanwhile,
you got pilots up there looking at each other potentially
going no, no waving in you through like the stop side,
no you go for I mean, it's not that easy
when you don't have control over the tower or as
you said, even the you know, the verbal communication went
down for a while. So what's been looking like as
(03:11):
far as getting after the timeline on this? So we
talk in months years?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, we're told it's a three year plan, but that
some of the some of the new technology will be
implemented by twenty twenty seven, so then it's so two
years some of it, some of it earlier than that.
But obviously there's a there's a there's a lot that
they need to tangle, and it's a it's a huge undertaking.
But you know many of these towers, you know, air
(03:36):
traffic control centers, they haven't been refurbished or are updated
since the nineteen sixties. Wow, so so long ago.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Yeah, And I would imagine the worst case scenarios are
going to get the most attention. I would hope Newark
would be at the top of that list. And unless
there's other spots that are even worse off than that,
you have to hate to think about the potential danger
of what could still come down while they're trying to
fix everything. Jumping ASO, Thank you, buddy, have a great weekend.
We'll do it again next week.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.