Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has touted the revamped Air Traffic Control system in the U.S. aviation sector, sharing that the Donald Trump administration was retiring dated technology amid its modernization program.
Leaps And Bounds Of Progress
In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, the White House’s Rapid Response handle posted a video of Duffy’s interview with Fox News, where the Transportation Secretary showcased how the revamp had made paper flight strips, which contain information like flight name, destination, assigned altitude and more, obsolete.
He showcased how the revamp efforts had made floppy disks redundant. He also slammed previous administrations for failing to build out new systems despite promising to do so. “In six-and-a-half months, we have made leaps and bounds of progress in building out this new [air traffic control] system,” Duffy said, outlining the original date when he’d appealed for funds to modernize the air traffic control system.
Duffy also outlined needing additional funds to implement new software, which was the “magic” to offset delays in the sector. According to a Reuters report on Tuesday, Duffy had requested an additional $10 billion to develop the software upgrades. He had originally asked for an additional $19 billion from Congress.
LaGuardia Air Crash, Trump Mulls Support For Spirit Airlines?
Duffy had earlier said that the administration’s top priority was to revamp the air traffic control system following the recent crash at the New York LaGuardia airport, when a CRJ-900 aircraft, part of Air Canada Express' fleet, crashed into an on-ground support vehicle, resulting in the death of both pilots.
Meanwhile, Trump recently floated the idea of offering federal aid to support affordable airline Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc. (OTC:FLYYQ), after reports emerged that the airline could cease operations as creditors question its ability to clear past dues.
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