The Daily Populous Friday January 31st, 2025 day edition
Authored by newrepublic.com and submitted by goyabean

Having to handle both types of air traffic can be complicated, the Times report states, because air traffic controllers can use different radio frequencies for helicopter and airplane pilots. In such cases, while the controller is communicating with pilots of both kinds of aircraft, the pilots may not be able to talk to one another.

Staffing levels at the airport’s control tower have been below adequate levels for years, like many of the U.S.’s other airports. DCA’s tower only had 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, according to congressional reports. This is well below the FAA and air traffic controller union’s preferred number of 30, and is due to employee turnover and budget cuts, according to the Times.

As a result, many air controllers at the airport work up to 10 hours a day and six days a week. Those levels probably have not been helped by Donald Trump’s federal hiring freeze, his gutting of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, and the FAA chief’s resignation at Elon Musk’s behest. As much as Trump and the right might try to blame DEI or something else ludicrous, perhaps they should look in the mirror.

HallucinogenicFish on January 31st, 2025 at 05:32 UTC »

> The Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary report on the D.C. plane crash goes against everything the president has said thus far.

Imagine that.

Freddy-Borden on January 31st, 2025 at 04:54 UTC »

Trump knew this already, that’s why he got out quick with an “executive order” placing blame with no proof or evidence.

Any thought this clown has turns into an “executive order.” His little pee brain likes how it sounds

Magggggneto on January 31st, 2025 at 04:20 UTC »

Expect more of this because Trump will never be held accountable. It's going to get worse. Much worse.