New 90-Second Communication Blackout Disrupts Newark Air Traffic
A telecommunications system failure at the Philadelphia Air Route Traffic Control Center left radar screens dark and severed communication with air traffic controllers managing Newark Liberty Airport’s airspace this Friday at 3:55 a.m. (Eastern Time) for approximately 90 seconds. This marks the second such incident in less than two weeks.
During the outage, a controller alerted a FedEx flight with the phrase, “Scopes just went black again,” as captured in a recording obtained by Reuters. The exchange continued with a direct recommendation to the pilot: “If you care about this, contact your airline and push them to fix this system.”
Persistent Problem: Outdated Infrastructure and Lack of Investment
This latest failure highlights the shortcomings of an air traffic control network reliant on outdated technology. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the technical issue was caused by the same telecommunications failure responsible for the previous incident. She stated that a permanent repair would be attempted later that same Friday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the severity of the issue and announced a proposal to invest billions of dollars over the next three to four years to modernize the system. “Both redundant lines are now operational,” Duffy assured, referring to the connections at Philadelphia TRACON.
Direct Operational Impact: Mass Cancellations and Delays
The consequences were immediate. FlightAware reported nearly 300 delayed flights and 135 cancellations directly tied to the incident. United Airlines, Newark’s largest carrier, confirmed operational disruptions but declined to provide specifics.
The airline has already significantly reduced flights from Newark and requested that the FAA impose new operational limits to curb persistent delays.
In an article published by Fox News, United CEO Scott Kirby directly addressed the root of the problem: “Decades of inadequate investment have sabotaged efforts to upgrade technology and bolster air traffic controller staffing.”
FAA’s Urgent Measures: Technical Upgrades and Additional Staff
In response, the FAA announced plans to reinforce controller staffing, add three new high-capacity telecommunications links, and deploy a temporary backup system at Philadelphia TRACON while transitioning to a more reliable fiber-optic network.
However, questions remain about why the backup system failed to perform as expected during the latest outage.
Newark: An Airport in Operational Crisis
Beyond control system failures, the airport has faced runway construction, staffing shortages, and severe congestion. This combination has prompted lawmakers to demand investigations and urgent additional funding.
Last year, Newark’s airspace was transferred to the Philadelphia Air Route Traffic Control Center—a move by the FAA to improve management amid overloaded air traffic in the New York metropolitan area.
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