There have been at least 19 separate incidents where planes have come close to colliding with each other in the first 10 months of this year, according to shocking reports.
The nearly staggering number between January and October marks a dramatic increase in avoidable airline crashes — the most since 2016, according to Federal Aviation Administration data seen by the Wall Street Journal.
The total for this year is not yet known, but is expected to continue to rise.
Just weeks after the data was compiled, a landing plane nearly collided with a plane taking off in the turbulent skies above Portland International Airport, just 2,000 feet apart.
Fortunately, a panicked call from air traffic controllers prompted the descending plane to abort its landing in the nick of time, saving the lives of hundreds of passengers.
Such close calls are becoming more frequent, with officials theorizing the near misses could be linked to staffing issues at the air traffic control tower.
Just days before the shocking WSJ report, the FAA announced that it was establishing a panel of experts — led by a former safety board official and a sleep expert — to address air traffic controller fatigue after a series of near misses.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified at least 19 serious violations through October. Wonchalerm Rungswang
The three-member panel will begin work in January and “examine how the latest science on sleep needs and fatigue considerations can be applied to guard work requirements and scheduling.”
The FAA met its annual goal of hiring 1,500 guards by 2023, but is still about 3,000 guards behind the staffing target — leaving most of its employees facing a six-day work week.
The Empire State is facing some of the worst staffing shortages for air traffic controllers, with the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control staffing at only 54% of recommended staffing.
A near-air collision occurs when the planes are less than 500 feet from each other. Maggie Torres
The Big Apple kicked off 2023 with a near-catastrophic collision that was averted thanks to an air traffic controller’s quick call.
Panicked passengers screamed in horror as their Delta flight came within “split seconds” of crashing into an American Airlines plane crossing their runway.
Although traveling at 115 mph, Delta hit the brakes, stopping just 1,000 feet from the intruding aircraft.
By Postal Wire
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
