During Wednesday’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) spoke about the strain on air traffic controllers.
00:04Recently, we're seeing almost daily reports about issues at Newark Liberty International Airport,
00:09whether it's radar air traffic control issues due to outages or short staffing,
00:14or the most recent ground delay due to construction.
00:18These reports are deeply troubling and require immediate attention.
00:22As you know, right now, there are shortages in staffing not just at Newark,
00:26but across the country, forcing air traffic controllers to work, intense schedules, longer and longer hours.
00:34That should raise a concern to everyone for what's happening in our skies.
00:38When we do not take care of our air traffic controllers, it puts the efficiency and safety of aviation at risk.
00:45Fortunately, the most recent FAA reauthorization included important provisions to improve the health of our air traffic control systems.
00:53I was proud to be a part of such pieces, too specifically, in the final reauthorization package,
01:00the Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act and Air Traffic Control Workforce Transparency Act.
01:05Now, both seek to improve the safety and staffing standards to ensure adequate numbers of fully qualified controllers.
01:13While Secretary Duffield has said he's committed to fixing these issues, I'd like to hear from you all as well.
01:21Mr. McIntosh, do you support efforts to ensure the FAA is hiring and training as many controllers as are needed each year to address existing shortages?
01:31Senator Lujan, I appreciate that question.
01:35As a former controller that was in the military and in the FAA and a manager who had to oversee having enough staffing to ensure that we're able to do our job,
01:45I 100% support Secretary Duffy's supercharged hiring to maximize not just our hiring of FAA controllers over the next four or five years,
01:55but also ensuring that they come through the academy at a quick pace, that they go, that they're incentivized to recruit,
02:01meaning there's a 30% pay bump for our academy graduates, as well as some of the retention efforts that he's put forward there as well.
02:08He's, I think he's put the plan forward.
02:10It is now the FAA and the Air Traffic Organization's job to move that forward.
02:14But to answer your question, yes, I wholeheartedly support this initiative.
02:17Resounding yes, I appreciate that, sir.
02:20What's the status of the Collaborative Resources workgroup that seeks to determine the number of air traffic controllers needed at each tower and center?
02:28It has been implemented according to the reauthorization bill.
02:31What else can the FAA do to improve the recruitment, hiring, and retention of air traffic controllers?
02:35I think Secretary Duffy's already laid forth that plan in his efforts of what he's done.
02:40Now it's up for the FAA to execute that plan.
02:43So with your expertise, I hope you'd be advising the secretary.
02:47You're the one that's done this.
02:48I served with the secretary.
02:50I know him.
02:51But is there anything lacking or is that plan 100% complete and that's all that's needed?
02:57What we are committed to do or what I need from my vantage point, as long as we hire to those numbers,
03:03which he's committed to and we continue to put through that throughput, he's already invested in our tower simulator systems.
03:10We've already ensured that that's going to be in place according to the reauthorization bill as well.
03:15We just need to ensure that we execute at the facility level to make sure that we have certifications so we have enough people to work.
03:23That is going to be the number one cure to what is our fatigue issues that we see and also ensuring that we have enough people to work the sectors.
03:32Appreciate that, sir.
03:33Ms. Baker, another provision I championed in the FAA reauthorization required the FAA to initiate a call to action to address ramp worker safety and published training and educational materials.
03:45Can you tell me what progress the FAA has made to initiate this call to action?
03:49Yes, absolutely.
03:51Aviation safety is working in partnership, actually, with the Office of Airports.
03:54We are having a ramp safety call to action safety summit tomorrow, as a matter of fact, where we're going to bring together air carriers, employees of ramp workers, along with FAA employees to identify best practices, areas of improvement, and what we can make suggestions about what we can do to improve ramp worker safety.
04:13And when do you expect to complete your review and submit your findings and safety recommendations for ramp workers to Congress?
04:22Shortly thereafter.
04:23A week, two weeks, a month, a year?
04:26It'll probably take more than a couple of weeks.
04:29We want to make sure we give it due diligence, but we'll circle back with you when we get our plan.
04:32Before August?
04:35We'll work on it over the summer.
04:36Before December?
04:37We'll work on it over the summer.
04:39Is it going to be a year then?
04:40Because you said shortly thereafter.
04:41So I'm just trying to understand what shortly thereafter means.
04:43How big shortly is?
04:44Is that a year?
04:45Is that by the end of Trump's term?
04:46What are we talking about?
04:47Without knowing what's going to be discussed tomorrow, it's hard to estimate how long it will take to make a complete report.
04:52But we're happy to get back with you about the findings of tomorrow's ramp.
04:55I'm sorry to push you, Ms. Baker, but dates matter.
04:58Is it fair to say no more than two years?
05:00Yes, absolutely.
05:01I appreciate that.
05:02That's a timeline that we could work with.
05:04Under the FAA reauthorization, the FAA was directed to collaborate with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on a 12-month-long study focused on unsafe cabin temperatures and conditions.
05:15On January 7th of this year, the FAA gave an update saying that they have met the NASEM and will, quote, will finalize an agreement and funding for the project after defining the scope.
05:26Ms. Baker, what is the status of this research effort?
05:28We are working with NASEM right now.
05:31Do you believe that more should be done to prevent unsafe temperatures in cabins?
05:35I believe that unsafe temperatures in cabins are definitely unpleasant.
05:38I think it's very challenging on the ground because aircraft are made basically to heat and cool in the air.
05:43I'm looking forward to the recommendations we get from NASEM so we can identify what the next steps are.
05:47Is it fair to say that they can be more than unpleasant and can actually cost someone a health problem or a health condition?
05:54I think what we get from NASEM will identify what those potential health challenges could be.
05:57I don't know if you've ever been on a flight when it gets uncomfortable like that, but I've seen people that react uncomfortably and sometimes they have to call physicians or ask for volunteers that may be on the flight that have medical expertise.
06:09I would say it's more than uncomfortable would be my response.
06:12I was a crew member for four years, so I understand.
06:15Would you agree with me then?
06:16It can be very uncomfortable.
06:17Okay, then we don't agree.
06:19I think it can be deadly, not more just that it's uncomfortable.
06:22I can put a jacket on.
06:24I can fan myself with one of the pamphlets.
06:26It can be outright dangerous and cost someone their life.
06:30We're looking forward to the report from the National Academies.
06:33Do we agree then, Ms. Baker, that it could be more than just uncomfortable?
06:36Looking forward to the report from the National Academies.
