New York, new blackout at the Radar Center: the controllers lose contacts with planes for 90 seconds. Over 130 flights deleted
New case at Newark airport, this time at 3.55 in the morning (American time): at least 137 flights deleted and more than 320 are late. The precedent of April 28th
The Radar Center that manages the flights on Newark, one of the reference airports in New York and among the busiest in the USA, was again on tilt for a minute and a half, less than two weeks after the previous Blackout. The radar screens went to 3.55 on Friday morning, 9.55 in Italy. To confirm the blockade was the same FAA, the American Federal Authority.
« Black screens »
In the conversations captured by Liveatc, platform that transmits the dialogues between towers and planes in the United States, at some point the controllers are heard to tell a cargo plane that their screens had « become black, then asking the crew to inform their company to press pressure so that the problem is solved ».
Confirmation
« An interruption of telecommunications has occurred which influenced communications and radar display at the Tracon Area C in Philadelphia, which manages the air traffic in which the air space of the Newark Liberty international airport, » comments the FAA in a note. « The interruption lasted about 90 seconds. »
The previous one
The same problem had occurred on April 28: also on that occasion the screens of the controllers of the same office went out for 87 seconds. During that period, the controllers could not communicate with planes. The stress, even emotional, was such that five employees of the Radar Center of Filadelphia have moved in illness, then forcing hundreds of cancellations for the lack of staff.
The cancellations
According to the FlightWare monitoring site in Newark at 6.50 pm Italian time – 12.50 in New York – there were 137 cancellations (between departures and arrivals) and 320 planes late. The transport secretary, Sean Duffy, has announced a plan for an modernization of the United States air traffic control system. « We will build a completely new system for you, your families and the American people, » said Duffy.
Modernization
The plan-which according to the forecasts should require 3-4 years for completion-provides for the introduction of fiber, wireless and satellite fiber technologies and should cost 15 billion dollars (but it is necessary to approve the US congress). But to do this, the experts warn, the old system, the one who jams will also be necessary.
