FAA

The agency made the announcement as it confronts staffing shortages caused by air traffic controllers who are working unpaid.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown, it has said.

The agency made the announcement on Wednesday as it confronts staffing shortages caused by air traffic controllers, who are working unpaid, with some calling out of work during the shutdown, resulting in delays across the country.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency is not going to wait for a problem to act, saying the shutdown is causing staffing pressures and “we can’t ignore it”.

Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they will meet later Wednesday with airline leaders to figure out how to safely implement the reduction.

Widespread delays

The shutdown, now in its 36th day, has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers to work without pay. This has worsened staff shortages, caused widespread flight delays and extended lines at airport security screening.

The move is aimed at taking pressure off air traffic controllers. The FAA also warned that it could add more flight restrictions after Friday if further air traffic issues emerge.

Duffy had warned on Tuesday that if the federal government shutdown continued another week, it could lead to “mass chaos” and force him to close some of the national airspace to air traffic, a drastic move that could upend American aviation.

Airlines have repeatedly urged an end to the shutdown, citing aviation safety risks.

Shares of major airlines, including United Airlines and American Airlines, were down about 1 percent in extended trading.

An airline industry group estimated that more than 3.2 million passengers have been affected by flight delays or cancellations due to rising air traffic controller absences since the shutdown began on October 1. Airlines have been raising concerns with lawmakers about the impact on operations.

Airlines said the shutdown has not significantly affected their business, but have warned bookings could drop if it drags on. More than 2,100 flights were delayed on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, FAA’s Bedford said that 20 percent to 40 percent of controllers at the agency’s 30 largest airports were failing to show up for work.

The federal government has mostly closed as Republicans and Democrats are locked in a standoff in Congress over a funding bill. Democrats have insisted they would not approve a plan that does not extend health insurance subsidies, while Republicans have rejected that.

Nov. 1 (UPI) — Federal Aviation Administration officials on Friday night urged Congress to approve government funding as more air traffic controllers call in sick amid the shutdown.

The nation’s nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers and additional Transportation Security Administration agents are deemed essential, but they are not being paid during the government shutdown that started on Oct.1.

Now in its 32nd day on Saturday, the FAA said the strain on unpaid employees is causing many to call in sick due to other obligations, such as supervising children, and out of frustration, The Hill reported.

“A surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the [National Airspace System,” FAA personnel posted on X.

“Half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York-area facilities.”

The FAA post said the “shutdown must end” so that air traffic controllers can get paid and to ensure the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the country.

When experiencing staffing shortages, the FAA reduces the amount of air traffic to maintain safety, which could cause flight delays or cancellations, the post said.

Such staffing shortages caused delays at airports in Boston, Dallas, Nashville and Newark, N.J., among several others, according to ABC News.

The shutdown is the second-longest in U.S. history, but it is poised to exceed the current record-holder of 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.

During that shutdown, air traffic controllers again worked without pay until the government reopened and they received back pay.

Air traffic controllers earn a median salary of $150,000 annually, but new hires are paid about $50,000, aviation industry labor expertJake Rosenfeld of Washington University in St. Louis told ABC News.

The Senate has failed 13 times to obtain the 60 votes needed to overcome the Senate’s filibuster rule and fund the federal government while continuing to work on a 2026 fiscal year budget.

The Senate reconvenes on Monday, which is one day short of the record 35-day shutdown.

Oct. 7 (UPI) — As the U.S. government shutdown drags into its second week, the Federal Aviation Administration was forced to delay flights into and out of three U.S. airports Monday due to air traffic controller staffing issues, including one airport with no controllers.

Newark Liberty International Airport, Denver International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport all experienced delays after a rising number of controllers called out sick.

Air traffic controllers are not being paid during the government shutdown, but are considered essential and are required to work.

“So, we’re tracking sick calls, sick leave and have we had a slight tick up in sick calls? Yes, and then you’ll see delays that come from that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Monday at Newark.

“If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people,” Duffy said, adding that he did not want to see flights canceled.

Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area remained open Monday despite having no controllers show up for work during a six-hour stretch.

“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” the airport wrote in a post Monday. “Please check with your airline — before arriving at the airport — for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”

Air traffic into and out of Burbank was handled by San Diego TRACON on a delayed schedule, a source told NBC News.

Flights into Newark, near New York City, experienced delays of up to an hour Monday due to low air traffic controller staffing, while flights into Denver were delayed by an average of 39 minutes.

The U.S. government has been shut-down since Sept. 30, and will remain closed for a seventh day. On Monday, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a stopgap bill that would have funded federal agencies for the next six weeks.

Singer-songwriter Brett James, who penned country music hits for stars including Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean, was one of three people who died Thursday in a plane crash in North Carolina. He was 57.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced in its preliminary report that three people were on board in a Cirrus SR22T that “crashed in a field” Thursday at around 3 p.m. local time in Franklin, N.C. There were no survivors, the North Carolina State Highway patrol confirmed in a statement.

According to additional information from the FAA, the songwriter was on the plane, which was registered to him under his legal name, Brett James Cornelius. It’s unclear whether he was piloting the plane during its crash, which the FAA said occurred “under unknown circumstances.” The state patrol confirmed the musician’s death, adding that his wife, Melody Carole, and Carole’s daughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson were the other two people on the plane. Wilson celebrated her birthday this week, according to a post on Carole’s Instagram page.

The aircraft had taken off from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board said they are investigating the crash.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame shared the news of James’ death Thursday in a social media post. “We mourn the untimely loss of Hall of Fame member Brett James (‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ / ‘When the Sun Goes Down’), a 2020 inductee who was killed in a small-engine airplane crash on Sept. 18,” the post said.

James, born June 5, 1968, is best known for co-writing the 2005 Underwood hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” The ballad, also co-written by Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, helped propel the careers of “American Idol” winner Underwood and James: It won the country song prize at the 2007 Grammy Awards and was dubbed ASCAP’s country song of the year in 2006.

The Missouri-born musician began his music career in the early 1990s after leaving medical school behind. He signed as a solo to Career Records, a subsidiary of Arista Nashville, but found his calling writing for Chesney, Billy Ray Cyrus, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and other country music acts.

“A brilliant songwriter and amazing man. He was the pen behind ‘Summer Nights,’ ‘Love You Out Loud’ and countless songs we’ve all sang along too,” Rascal Flatts said Friday in an Instagram tribute. “He will be greatly missed.”

Aldean also remembered James during his show in Lincoln, Neb., performing their song “The Truth.” The singer said he had “nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life” in a social media post of that performance.

James also penned Cheney and Uncle Kracker’s “When the Sun Goes Down,” Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova” and Rodney Atkins’ “It’s America.” As a solo artist, James released several singles, a self-titled album in 1995 and the 2020 EP “I Am Now.” ASCAP named James its country songwriter of the year twice, first in 2006 then in 2010.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Two California-based tech firms on Friday joined a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program meant to speed up the delivery of advanced air mobility vehicles, commonly known as air taxis, the agency said.

The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program will include at least five separate projects, the FAA said in a statement.

Both Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are joining the public-private pilot program. The companies are primarily focused on electric vertical takeoff and landing technology.

The goal of the pilot program is to “form public-private partnerships with state and local government entities and private sector companies to develop new frameworks and regulations for enabling safe operations,” the FAA said in the statement.

Individual projects under the pilot program will focus separately on short-range air taxis, cargo aircraft, logistics and supply serving emergency management and medical transport, longer-range, fixed wing flights and increased automation safety, according to the FAA.

“This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in the agency’s statement.

“We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.”

The pilot program will run for a minimum of three years.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in the FAA’s statement.

Both private companies saw their stock prices climb following the announcement.

Shares of San Jose-based Archer Aviation were up $0.13 or 1.53% to $8.62 as of 12:56 p.m. EDT Friday.

The company’s CEO Adam Goldstein called the announcement a “landmark moment” for the country and industry.

“We have an administration that is prioritizing the integration of eVTOL operations in U.S. cities ahead of full certification in a pragmatic way. We’ll demonstrate that air taxis can operate safely and quietly,” Goldstein said in a statement on the company’s website.

“These early flights will help cement American leadership in advanced aviation and set the stage for scaled commercial operations in the U.S. and beyond.”

Joby Aviation shares were up $0.37 or 2.71% to $14.03 at the same time.

“President Trump has long recognized the significance of America’s leadership in the next era of aviation and this initiative ensures our nation’s leadership will continue,” Joby Aviation Chief Policy Officer Greg Bowles said in a statement on the company’s website.

“We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities. We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.”

What started with a drone sighting over a military installation in New Jersey last November quickly grew into a national craze about mysterious objects in the sky. Social media was flooded with videos and images purporting to show drones. Politicians weighed in. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) were imposed over dozens of power facilities. The so-called Jersey Drone phenomenon became such a big deal that the FBI launched a hotline for people to report what they had seen, with only a small fraction of some 5,000 sightings deemed worthy of further investigation.

The FBI told us on Thursday that the investigation is still ongoing, but declined to offer any details about whether any suspects were uncovered or any drones recovered.

So what were these things?

We asked one expert who worked at the highest levels of government for some answers.

For nearly a decade, starting in 2011, Brett Feddersen, a retired Army officer, served in a wide range of executive roles under the Obama and first Trump administrations. He was National Security Liaison / Senior Intelligence Officer for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Deputy Chief of Intelligence for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Senior Advisor for Strategy, Plans, and Policy for The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), worked in the Executive Office of the President, was Director for Transportation and Border Security at the National Security Council (NSC), Principal Deputy Director the the JCS Transregional Threats Coordination Cell and an Executive Director at the FAA. He was also a member of the Navy’s UAP [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena] Task Force, created in 2020 to investigate what used to be known as UFOs. 

Feddersen is currently chairman of the Security Industry Association‘s Counter-UAS Working Group and is vice president of strategy and governmental affairs for D-Fend Solutions, which supplies counter-drone equipment to the U.S. military, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and other clients.

In the second part of our hour-long interview with Feddersen, we asked him to offer some insights about the Jersey Drone craze. In many ways, he concurred with our analysis that there is no evidence of large-scale drone incursions over New Jersey, with a chronic issue of people reporting normal aircraft as mysterious drones being glaringly apparent. You can catch up with the first part of the interview here.

Some questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Q: So what were these objects? Where did they come from, and who operated them?

A: That’s a great question and there is a mix of answers, which I think added to a lot of the confusion. There were a lot of manned aircraft that were operating within the normal standards in the same area that were being misidentified as drones. I’ve seen quite a few of those videos and pictures, and coming from an aviator’s perspective, they’re easy to identify because I’m familiar with aircraft that operate at night. As a matter of fact, some of the aircraft that were called drones were aircraft I flew – helicopters.

There were also government operations and different things that had already gotten approval through the FAA. And you have commercial operations, those that are making deliveries or test bed situations that also had approval with the FAA, so those are the ones that are flying around. I highly doubt that there weren’t, in that big mix of drones, some foreign adversary that was taking advantage and trying to find information or video, we see probing regularly from foreign adversaries over sensitive sites like bases. So there was a true mixture of all that. And I think what caused a lot of the – for lack of a better term – hysteria was a poor response by the government to address the public’s fear and considerations. Poor communication between inter-agencies. The FAA, talking to the government to explain which aircraft were authorized or not authorized. 

Q: How should those breakdowns have been addressed?

A: Coming out right up front and saying, ‘Hey, we have a problem. We have these issues. And here’s where we’re at with it.’ That I think would have taken care of a lot of things at the beginning.

Q: You mentioned that a lot of the so-called Jersey drone sightings were government drones. Can you talk about that? What operations were being conducted by the government?

A: The government is constantly improving on drones or training on drones. So those activities are coordinated with the FAA. They’re authorized. That means that they’re flying training routes or training flights in the vicinity of certain areas to build proficiency in flying the aircraft so that you can continue to make it safer and more active. Then you also have those commercial drones that we’re talking about that are doing deliveries that also do the same thing. They coordinate with the FAA, they get approval for the routes or their runs, and then they execute in that manner. So both of those were what contributed to the Jersey drone craze.

Q: During the early days of the second Trump administration, officials said these drones were not a danger, and they were approved and known by the FAA. What were those?.

A: The majority of the flights were known and approved by the FAA. So what they’re referring to there is that these were standard operations that were going on. There was nothing classified that was going on. There was nothing that would have triggered any type of conspiracy concepts to it. They were just flying around as normal. The response of the public being heightened to the issue kind of created that craze. Now we do know that there are always flights that are flying around that are not reporting to the FAA and doing those things at this point, you know, in New Jersey, particularly, we don’t know whether those were foreign adversaries or U.S. citizens that just did not know how to operate their aircraft. 

Q: What classification of drones were being tested by the government or trained on by the government? Were they nano, micro, small, medium or large?

A: In the vicinity of New Jersey, they are really the medium and small ones that are being used. Often…drones used by the Army for reconnaissance in other areas. If they’re testing new payloads or sensors or cameras on systems, they’re flying around in their set training areas and their patterns to make sure that all the flight characteristics of that payload on the drone is doing what it’s supposed to do. So that’s what that does. Every flight that you take in a drone, especially a military drone, gives the operator, that drone or the camera operator, a chance to become more proficient at what they’re doing, and that’s what was occurring in conjunction with all the other flights that were happening during those days.

Q: One theory floated at the time was that the government was testing counter-drone capabilities. Did that really happen?

A: It’s highly unlikely, and here’s why. In New Jersey and Atlantic City, there is the FAA Technical Center, and they do counter-drone testing and drone testing at that airport. Butt is in a very controlled manner where they are. They are either flying or aware of what is being flown and the system’s capabilities that are being used at that time. At nighttime, very little operations happen because you can’t get the same type of spectrum data as during the daytime. So it is highly unlikely that there was activity there at the tech center that was going on.

Anything else that would have been tested outside of that area, even by the military, is coordinated with the FAA, and they would have been aware of that type of activity too. And there are other places to do that type of testing. You don’t do it right there in the urban environment where there’s a lot of other aircraft flying.

Q: So, where did these drones that were being tested come from that caused people to report them as being these mystery drones? And if military drones are being mistaken as mystery drones where did they come from?

A: The Army and, well, actually, all the branches have quite a few bases or smaller facilities around the area there, between New Jersey, New York and and Pennsylvania, right? That whole tri-state area has quite a few facilities that are always looking at some research or testing or doing more things. You also have units that are there, including reserve units or National Guard units that are flying and operating drones throughout that area as well. So it again, it’s really a combination of what I would consider the majority of them being legitimate operations. There were a few that would be criminal in nature, either because of ignorance or because of nefarious activity behind it.

Q: Do you know anything about the FBI investigation?

A: I do not. I have no insight into the FBI’s investigation.

Q: Let’s switch gears and talk about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or what used to be known as UFOs. You were part of the UAP Task Force, created in August  2020 to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security. It was ultimately replaced by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). Can you talk about how UAPs fit into the craze over drones?

A: UAPs are a real thing that we can’t identify. Across the globe. It’s not just in the United States. So not to be conflated with drones, we just don’t know what those are. And there’s often a confusion with those as well that are flying in the airspace. I don’t recall any true UAPs being seen in the New Jersey incident, but it’s just one of those things that the government should also take seriously.

Q: We’ve reported a lot about how some of these so-called UAPs were actually adversary drones, flying over Navy vessels, etc. Do you think that’s a big part of these UAP sightings?

A:  I think it is. Remember that UAPs are, by nature, unidentified, right? And so they can be man-made structures. Some of the UAPs and their capabilities are so extreme that we are finding it hard to believe that they’re man-made. We are more concerned if they are an adversary man-made object. Then, obviously, those capabilities have gone much farther than we’re familiar with, which you know scares us in a national security sense altogether. 

Q: Do you believe that UAPs are advanced adversary technologies, or is it possible that these are created by non-human intelligence?

A: Anything’s possible. Because they’re unidentified, we don’t know the origin of where they came from. We don’t know who built it. I would say that I think the adversarial view is probably the most accepted view, for obvious reasons. But you know, some of these defy our current aviation capabilities and aerial capabilities, and they defy the abilities that we believe that our adversaries have, so we’re having a hard time figuring out what it is.

Q: Are these created by non-human intelligence?

A: I don’t want to comment.

Q: What is your realistic worst-case nightmare scenario about drones that’s going to happen?

A: A drone that can dispense some type of aerosol or powder over a large crowd. That one is top of mind for everybody. Weaponized drones, or drones being used kinetically by itself. I mean, they can reach some high speeds – 50-60 miles per hour and flying into a individual is going to cause a lot of damage. Even flying into the window of a vehicle is going to create a lot of damage that will threaten the life, limbs or eyesight of individuals. These are things that we know are being proliferated across the internet for people to do. We know that there are people inside the U.S who have weaponized drones or have done these things, going back to the guy who dropped dye packs in the pools over in New Jersey. There’s a lot of agricultural drones that bring so much benefit, but they also have this risk factor.

Contact the author: [email protected]

June 7 (UPI) — Arrivals and departures are limited for the rest of the year at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

The restrictions took effect on Friday and limit arrivals and departures to 28 per hour on weekends while airport construction occurs from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday.

Arrivals and departures also are limited to no more than 34 per hour during other periods through Oct. 25.

“The confirmed reduced rates will maintain safety while alleviating excessive flight delays at the airport due to staffing and equipment challenges,” the FAA announcement says.

“The early completion of runway construction at the airport that added to the delays will also contribute to a more efficient operation.”

Similar travel restrictions “paid dividends” by enabling “smooth travel into and out of Newark” over the Memorial Day holiday, according to the FAA.

Officials at the federal agency recently met with airline representatives to discuss problems at the Newark airport that triggered long delays and flight cancellations that left many air passengers stranded for hours and sometimes longer.

The discussions led to the current flight restrictions while undertaking several improvements at the airport and regionally.

The FAA is working to improve operations at the Newark airport by adding three new high-bandwidth telecommunications links between New York-based hubs and the Philadelphia-based terminal radar approach control system for regional air traffic control.

Old copper telecommunications connections will be replaced with fiber-optic technology for greater bandwidth and speed, and a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia-based TRACON system will be active while improvements are done.

The FAA also is increasing air traffic controller staffing by adding 22 fully certified controllers and five fully certified supervisors at the Newark airport and others in the area.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA will continue working with all stakeholders to ensure that the airport is a safe, efficient and functional gateway for passengers and air crews,” the FAA announcement says.

June 3 (UPI) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration is searching for “top innovators” to lead the rebuilding of the nation’s “antiquated” air traffic control system.

Duffy said the FAA will host two industry days next week in Washington, D.C., and another in New Jersey to meet with companies that could spearhead the building of the next air traffic control system.

“We have an antiquated air traffic control system that is showing its age,” Duffy said. “In order to implement President Trump’s and my plan for a brand new system, we need the technical expertise and management experience from the best innovators in the world.”

“In the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ there is $12.5 billion to start this project. A big deal,” Duffy told reporters Tuesday. “I believe the Senate’s going to provide more dollars for us also? We’ll see what they do … This has to happen fast.”

“The failures of the past is that the FAA has gotten small tranches of money, not full funding,” Duffy added. “We need full funding. We need the money up front so we can contract out and build this brand new system across the country.”

The FAA is planning to replace the core infrastructure of the system to include radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to make sure towers have the technology needed to “reduce outages, improve efficiency and reinforce safety.”

The proposed plan would replace fiber, wireless and satellite technologies at more than 4,600 sites and install 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches. And it would replace 618 radar systems that have exceeded their lifespan.

The FAA’s new system also calls for six new air traffic control centers, none of which have been built in the last 60 years.

“It is critical the United States acts now to invest and modernize a National Airspace System that supports the future and moves beyond the 1960s,” the FAA’s air traffic control system report said.

Plans to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system were announced by the Trump administration in February. At this point, there is no timeline or price for the project.

The FAA said that information will come when the best company provides “innovative ideas and new technologies” to help execute and manage the massive reinvention.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a new, world-class air traffic system,” said FAA acting administrator Chris Rocheleau. “We need world-class innovators to step up and tell us the best way to build it.”