What happens with air traffic control in the United States? Here are the facts

A series of worrying technical interruptions affecting Newark Liberty International Airport in the past few weeks, asking many about what exactly happened, and whether it is safe to fly in the United States anymore.

The air traffic control facility responsible for airspace around the airport has suffered from three interruptions in communications within two weeks, including the 90 -second radar and communications communications on Friday.

Then on Monday, a break on a surveillance facility in Denver.

None of the accidents caused or disrupted aircraft collision. But no one reduces the seriousness of what happened, or the threat to the safety it represents.

What actually happened at Newark Airport

When a plane is in the process of taking off or landing, air traffic monitors in the airport are the officials. Since it is a tower, they can see the physically controlled aircraft, as well as the use of radar and radio systems.

But a different group of air traffic monitors is responsible when a plane is already launched and escalates, or when it descends towards the airport but not yet in the final approach. They direct all air -mobile aircraft and near airports. Because of the distances, controllers cannot see these aircraft. They depend exclusively on radar screens and radio connections to find out where the aircraft are.

Its facility is technically known as Tracon, which means controlling the terminal radar approach. Tracon for Newark used to be in Long Island, but last year, the US Federal Aviation Administration was transferred to Philadelphia, in part due to the fact that the high cost of living in the New York region was difficult to attract employees.

Data from Newark Airport and nearby radar sites are sent via the telecommunications line to Philadelphia Triacon, which appears on control units.

This wireless and wireless line is what has failed twice in the past three weeks, for 90 seconds at a time, along with an unlimited third break on Sunday. This means that the control units do not know the location of the aircraft, and you could not talk to the pilots on the radio.

The airspace that could have Tracon control tools dozens of aircraft at any specific time, and many at similar altitudes. Not knowing exactly where it can lead to catastrophic collision.

There was no disaster, but the experiment was so shocking that at least five units were gone on vacation.

In response to power outages, airport officials reduced the number of flights that enter and abroad. That caused permanent delays and cancellation.

So the same thing happened in Denver on Monday?

Similar, but it is not yet clear if he is the same.

This is a third type of air traffic control facility called ARTCC (air traffic control center). Control units control the roaming aircraft, usually high altitude, fly over the areas but not landing.

Denver ARTCC lost communications for about 90 seconds. Similar to Newark Tracon, the console seems unable to see the aircraft they were responsible for on their radar screens. However, in this case, they used backup frequency to communicate with pilots.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what happened, but it was not yet known whether the failure of the wireless and wireless communication line as is the case in Newark.

What is being done about it

Newark Airport is now dealing with fewer flights, partly due to the fact that communications problems are exacerbated by chronic under employees, which means that many controlled units are desirable.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it increases air traffic monitoring employees, adding three new high -scale contacts, and deploying a temporary backup system to Tracon Philadelphia as it turns into a more reliable visual network of fiber.

FAA employs about 14,000 country control units, but it says it needs to employ at least 3500 others.

US Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy also said that billions of dollars need to spend on promotions of air traffic control systems throughout the country in the three years to the next four.

Is flying now safe in the United States?

Duffy says flying is safe, but he also says the improvements are urgently required.

On Monday, Scott Kirby, CEO of UNITED Airlines, who uses Nark more more than any other airline.

But many passengers are not sure. Some pledged to avoid Newark from now on.