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‘The System Is Safe’: John Hickenlooper Touts Safety Of U.S. Air Travel Amid FAA Concerns
Forbes Breaking News
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5/15/2025
During Wednesday’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) spoke about U.S. air travel.
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00:00
Thank you. Senator Hackel-Libbert.
00:04
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for calling this.
00:07
Thank each of you for all your hard work.
00:10
Let me start with Mr. McIntosh.
00:13
I know we've talked already.
00:16
You've been asked questions about the two copper wires
00:19
and the issues around Newark.
00:22
I want to just take a moment and just lay out what I recognize.
00:27
I mean, it seems to me I fly a lot, too much, back and forth every week.
00:33
It's not uncommon that we would get diverted and circle a couple of times.
00:38
The last time I checked, we're still using TCAS,
00:41
the Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems,
00:45
that some of my constituents have been calling in saying,
00:48
are we less safe?
00:50
And to me, in a funny way, what we're dealing with when we have these,
00:54
what happened in Newark is people, they circle, right?
00:57
It's not like they almost landed on somebody.
00:59
They lost connection and their TCAS is still working.
01:02
So as they circle in space, they know exactly where everyone else is
01:06
and the collision avoidance system is still working.
01:09
Am I correct in communicating that confidence
01:11
that everyone should continue flying,
01:14
feel that they are absolutely safe when they're flying?
01:16
Senator Hickenlooper, absolutely people are safe when they fly.
01:19
And I fly like you do every single, I fly every week.
01:24
I go back and forth and I have utmost confidence in our air traffic controllers
01:28
and our managers and how the system works with the redundancies put in place.
01:35
I agree.
01:35
I think it seems there are redundancies everywhere.
01:37
Obviously, the point of this hearing is we've got a lot of infrastructure
01:42
that needs to be upgraded and we've got a lot of work to do.
01:44
So you guys should maybe see psychoanalysts about whether you really want these jobs or not
01:50
given the restrictions on funding these days.
01:53
But there's a lot to be done.
01:54
But I want to emphasize that the system is safe, that people should get on planes.
01:59
And it's such a crucial part of our economy when people suddenly decide they're not going to fly,
02:04
that they feel uncertain about flying, the entire economy slows down.
02:09
Yes, sir, it does.
02:10
And from an air traffic control perspective, we love the job.
02:15
What we really want is better equipment to go along with it.
02:20
And that's really what it comes down to.
02:22
A lot of our equipment, it is antiquated.
02:24
And the FAA has been known as having the safest and most efficient airspace in the world.
02:29
But we need to advance our systems to ensure we keep that standard.
02:33
I agree.
02:34
Perfect.
02:35
Now, I want to get specific with you.
02:36
We've got some rural communities like Northern Colorado Regional Airport and Fort Collins
02:42
are working to be able to do their traffic control without a controller.
02:47
The state of Colorado, the Northern Colorado Regional Airport,
02:51
have made investments in remote tower technology.
02:54
And these investments are waiting to be realized because of ongoing testing at the FAA's Technology Center in New Jersey.
02:59
So can we get an update on that?
03:01
And where are we and how quickly we get that stuff approved?
03:04
Yes, sir.
03:04
And I'm very excited about the remote towers.
03:06
I think the technology is incredible.
03:08
We do have a vendor at Atlantic City at the Tech Center.
03:12
They are doing the safety case and the business case now.
03:15
And the FAA is ready to validate that safety case, credential that system.
03:21
And as soon as that occurs, then the airports will be able to go and purchase that system.
03:26
I got an update just yesterday.
03:28
And I believe they plan on doing an industry day sometime this summer for people to come
03:32
and take a look at the new technology that's out there with how this works.
03:36
And it really is an incredible...
03:37
Well, that's great.
03:38
And that's promotional.
03:39
I want...
03:39
I'm just trying to urge a sense of urgency.
03:41
Yes, sir.
03:42
I find a lot of my time I spend urging a sense of urgency around here.
03:46
Mr. Heibeck, as you know, many regional airports are the single most important connectivity hub
03:53
to the rest of their state or the rest of the country.
03:58
And we work closely with Senator Fischer to enact the Sustainable Regional Air Travel Act
04:03
as part of FAA reauthorization in 2024.
04:05
That was obviously a bipartisan bill that commissions a federal study that will be published next month
04:10
to examine those factors that impact air service to regional airports,
04:13
including pilot availability, air traffic control systems we've talked about, and other issues.
04:20
Can you describe what you think are the most pressing issues that regional airports are facing today?
04:26
Because they are such a huge part, not just Colorado, but pretty much every western state,
04:30
and really almost every state.
04:33
Yes, Senator.
04:35
I think the Reauthorization Act seeks to provide or expand the types of funding
04:42
under the Airport Improvement Program to fund critical safety and safety infrastructure development projects
04:48
at the small rural airports.
04:51
And I think the funding challenges continue to persist there,
04:54
but the Reauthorization Act does a really good job making some changes to the small airport fund
04:59
and in other areas to focus on non-hub airports and non-primary airports.
05:07
And one particular example is the state apportionment is expanded there,
05:11
and I think that will help meet some of the funding challenges at the smaller airports in the system.
05:17
Great.
05:17
Well, thank you again.
05:18
And, Ms. Baker, I'm out of time, but I will submit.
05:20
I've got a couple questions for you, too, but I'll submit them in written form.
05:24
I yield back to the chair.
Recommended
4:30
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