The workers on the Ronald Reagan Airport Airport Management Tower was “not regular for the day of the day and the amount of visitors,” based on an inner preliminary security report of the Federal Aviation Administration on the conflict, which was reviewed by the New York Instances.
The controller who was processing helicopters close to Wednesday evening airport additionally instructed planes that landed and left off his slopes. These jobs are often appointed to 2 controllers, not one.
This will increase the load for the air visitors controller and might complicate the work. One cause is that controllers can use totally different radio frequencies to speak with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. Whereas the controller communicates with helicopter pilots and jet, the 2 pilots units is probably not heard.
Like most air visitors management amenities within the nation, the Tower of the Reagan Airport has been a scarcity for years. The tower there was nearly one -third beneath the goal workers ranges, with 19 absolutely licensed controllers as of September 2023, based on essentially the most new Air Traffic Power PlanAnnual report back to Congress, which incorporates focused and precise ranges of workers. The objectives set by the FAA and the Union of Controllers require 30.
The scarcity – brought on by years of worker turnover and strict budgets, amongst different components – pressured many controllers to work inside six days every week and 10 hours a day.
FAA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
