A startling report has revealed a significant rise in near-collisions involving aircraft, with 19 such incidents recorded within the first ten months of the year.
This figure, which represents the highest number of narrowly avoided air crashes since 2016, is based on data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
The total number of near-misses for the year remains uncertain, but it is anticipated to increase further. A recent incident at Portland International Airport underscores the gravity of the situation. A landing airliner and a departing plane came perilously close to colliding, with a mere 2,000 feet separating them. Quick thinking and urgent calls from an air traffic controller prompted the descending plane to abort its landing, averting a potential disaster and saving hundreds of lives.
The frequency of such incidents is on the rise, with speculation suggesting that staffing issues in air traffic control towers could be a contributing factor. In response to the escalating problem, the FAA recently announced the formation of an expert panel, led by a former safety board official and sleep expert. The panel, which will commence its work in January, will explore how the latest research on sleep needs and fatigue could be applied to air traffic controller work requirements and scheduling.
Despite meeting its hiring goal of 1,500 controllers for 2023, the FAA is still approximately 3,000 controllers short of its staffing targets. This shortfall has resulted in most of its workers facing six-day work weeks. New York Terminal Radar Approach Control, which is grappling with severe staffing shortages, is operating at just 54% of recommended staffing levels.
The year began on a distressing note in New York, with a near-collision narrowly averted thanks to the prompt action of an air traffic controller. Passengers aboard a Delta flight were thrown into a state of panic as their plane came within "split seconds" of crashing into an American Airlines plane on their runway. Despite traveling at a speed of 115 mph, the Delta flight managed to brake in time, stopping a mere 1,000 feet from the other aircraft.
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