Asked if the European aviation sector was concerned about the X boss’ new task to fix U.S. air traffic management, Charlton said: “Yes, 100 percent. I think the word you’re after is dumbstruck. I mean, they’re freaking out. They’re watching with slack-jawed amazement.”
In the aftermath of the Jan. 29 mid-air crash between a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter over Washington that claimed 67 lives, Musk promised that his cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team would look to make “rapid safety upgrades” to the country’s air traffic control sector.
And on Monday, U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who was recently appointed by President Donald Trump, announced the involvement of Musk’s employees in a post on X saying the team was expected to “get a firsthand look at the current system, learn what air traffic controllers like and dislike about their current tools, and envision how we can make a new, better, modern and safer system.”
In recent years, the U.S. has seen a steep spike in near-collisions involving commercial airplanes at airports, with five incidents in 2022 and 11 incidents in 2023. The FAA’s air traffic control workforce has been playing catchup for decades due to a wave of retirements that has left the controller workforce understaffed by thousands.
The new Trump administration’s approach to aviation safety clashes with its effort to slash government spending; DOGE is firing thousands of probationary employees who maintain critical infrastructure.
SpaceX employees visited the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia. | Sergio Flores/Getty Images
“It’s obvious that Elon Musk’s business is not about safety, but about his money, which is OK. He’s a businessman,” said Daniel Liebhart, an Austrian air traffic controller and chair of the aviation section of the Vida union.
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Publish date : 2025-02-19 07:34:00
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The post European aviation ‘dumbstruck’ by Musk’s takeover of US air traffic control – POLITICO first appeared on Love Europe.
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Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2025-02-19 18:34:54
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