From Seattletimes · · 1m 40s
Why Ground Issues Affect Flights Thousands of Miles Away
A nationwide flight grounding caused by communication system gaps shows how ground problems can disrupt air travel across the country.
In brief
A nationwide flight grounding caused by communication system gaps shows how ground problems can disrupt air travel across the country. U.S. regional air traffic control centers experienced communication gaps that grounded flights for over four hours, affecting multiple centers nationwide. Originally reported by…
Grounding Causes Communication Gaps
U.S. regional air traffic control centers experienced communication gaps that grounded flights for over four hours on Friday.
“Specifically, we had over 1,000 connection attempts every 4 to 5 seconds”
Secretary of Transportation Explains
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the grounding was caused by intermittent communication issues from outdated copper wire systems.
“Specifically, we had over 1,000 connection attempts every 4 to 5 seconds”
System Overload Leads to Grounding
The system overloaded antiquated equipment, causing intermittent communications and radar gaps that lasted more than four hours.
“Specifically, we had over 1,000 connection attempts every 4 to 5 seconds”
Contractor Work Causes Disruption
A contractor was replacing old copper wire with fiber optic lines in a remote location when the grounding occurred.
Regional Centers Guide High-Altitude Flights
The U.S. operates 22 regional air traffic control centers that manage flights above 10,000 feet across the country.
Communication System Layers
Pilots move through three layers of air traffic control: airport towers, terminal radar centers, and regional centers.
Rolling Outage Affects Multiple Centers
The communication issue was a rolling outage that impacted 17 of 22 regional air traffic control centers nationwide.
Pilots Use Backup Systems
Pilots can still communicate via satellite phones or radio signals during communication disruptions.
System Overhaul Progress
The government has replaced miles of copper wires with fiber optic lines but the work is far from complete.
FAA Urges More Funding
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged Congress to provide more funding for the air traffic control system overhaul.
The big picture
U.S. regional air traffic control centers experienced communication gaps that grounded flights for over four hours, affecting multiple centers nationwide.
