Controller Callouts Drop Dramatically As Gov’t Reopens

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford released a new emergency order, based on a recommendation from the agency’s safety team, that freezes flight reductions at the current level of 6%. The announcement was issued prior to the House vote to pass the Continuing Resolution that reopened the government.

The agencies noted that there has been a rapid decline in the number of callouts by air traffic controllers, resulting in the strongest staffing levels in several weeks. On Tuesday and Wednesday, November 11 and 12, there were only eleven and four staffing triggers, respectively, as compared to a high of 81 triggers on November 8.

Such staffing levels suggested that further ramp ups in flight reductions are not necessary to maintain safety for the traveling public. And as the federal government reopens and controllers receive their back pay, the FAA will continue monitoring staffing levels to observe key trend lines.

Secretary Duffy said, “President Trump’s message has been heard loud and clear: controllers will be made whole quickly. The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace. The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first. If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations.”

Administrator Bedford said, “Our top priority at the FAA is, and always will be, safety. The data shows that controller staffing is improving rapidly, which allows us to hold flight reductions at six percent while maintaining the highest levels of safety in our airspace. We’ll continue to monitor system performance hour by hour, and we won’t hesitate to make further adjustments if needed."

The flight restrictions have not changed, and they include:

• Some general aviation operations at 12 airports.
• Some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) at facilities with staffing triggers. 
• Commercial space launches and reentries permitted only between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time.
• Parachute operations and photo missions near?facilities with a staffing trigger.? 

FMI:  www.transportation.gov/ , www.faa.gov/