Amid concerns over air traffic control, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is reportedly enlisting the help of Elon Musk and his team to take a “deeper look” into the agency as it deals with several issues, Fox Business reports. Specifically, Duffy is concerned with “alleged ‘outdated’ internet and digital program infrastructures,” a point also made by Vice President JD Vance who reportedly also said that air traffic control systems need to be upgraded.
Staffing issues have also arisen which appears to have led Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to call on “top notch” air traffic controllers who have retired to return to work if they are open to doing so.
“There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so,” Musk posted on X.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also posted an advertisement on X encouraging individuals to “Join our team to become an entry-level air traffic controller and help shape the future of aviation! Discover if you meet the qualifications through our merit-based hiring process, ensuring safety and efficiency of our nation’s airspace.”
According to Fox News, “There has been growing concern about a shortage of air traffic controllers due to the growing number of close calls being reported. Despite staffing concerns, the Trump administration recently moved to lay off hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees in an effort to curtail federal spending.”
Still, Duffy insists that air traffic control technology is due for an update, suggesting that outdated technology puts all flyers at risk. Duffy recalled the tragic collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk with an American Airlines regional jet on January 29 that claimed the lives of 67 people. The collision was the deadliest U.S. air disaster in over 20 years, according to Fox News. Duffy previously posted on X that the tragedy was “a heartbreaking wake-up call that improvements must be made.”
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau reportedly told employees to expect visits from the DOGE team as efforts to reform the agency are underway. After a visit Duffy made to an FAA facility, the new Transportation Secretary reportedly expressed a concerning surprise after learning that “the FAA uses a seemingly ‘unreliable’ internet server and even runs some programs on floppy disks,” according to Fox News.