Hair-rising moment American Airlines is in near miss during take-off as pilot is forced to slam on the brakes at 110mph when private King aircraft lands in its path at Reagan National Airport

UK Daily Mail ^ | 05/30/2024 | PAUL FARRELL

[zipper]

RWSL likely would have prevented this near-miss, because it's independent of controller errors, but Reagan is not one of those airports equipped with it.

Runway Status Lights (RWSL) are operational at 20 airports in the United States. This system is designed to enhance runway safety by providing automated, real-time alerts to pilots and ground vehicle operators about potential runway conflicts. Here is the complete list of U.S. airports equipped with RWSL:

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Orlando International Airport (MCO) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) San Diego International Airport (SAN) San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

If both of those runways had RWSL then the jet taking off would have had a sequence of red centerline lights. The ATC controller has no direct control of that system.

[A strike]

a go around is not all that exceptionally extraordinary,
especially if a preceeding aircraft doesn’t exit timely

-fJRoberts-

[A strike]

not enough FedGov bucks because it’s named Reagan.

-fJRoberts-

[jdt1138]

Here is the DCA Tower audio...The sound of diversity.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/x91WXx09Xis

[zipper]

not enough FedGov bucks because it’s named Reagan.

I don't doubt it. Obama first implemented the DEI approach to recruiting AA ATC controller candidates (before it was called DEI).

I was absolutely dumbfounded when I read about it during Obama's regime -- previous aviation qualifications counted AGAINST getting picked for the school, as did technical degrees, etc. -- the topsy-turvey selection process is paying dividends now, so to speak.

---

The Obama administration implemented changes to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) hiring practices for air traffic controllers as part of a broader affirmative action effort to diversify the workforce. These changes, initiated in 2014, aimed to address racial and gender imbalances among air traffic controllers, historically a predominantly white and male profession.

Key Aspects of the Program: General Public Hiring:

Prior to the changes, the FAA primarily hired air traffic controllers through two main pathways: graduates of the Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program, which included specific aviation-related degrees, and individuals with prior air traffic control experience, such as military veterans.

The new hiring policy expanded eligibility to the general public, allowing anyone between the ages of 18 and 31 with a high school diploma or equivalent to apply, provided they passed a new biographical assessment. Biographical Assessment:

The biographical assessment was a new screening tool introduced to evaluate candidates based on their life experiences, skills, and attributes believed to predict success as an air traffic controller. This assessment replaced the prior focus on technical qualifications and specific educational backgrounds, which was seen as a barrier to increasing diversity. Emphasis on Diversity:

The changes were part of a broader push to improve diversity within the FAA, ensuring that the workforce better reflected the demographics of the nation. By opening the hiring process to a wider pool of applicants and emphasizing qualities such as resilience, problem-solving skills, and teamwork, the FAA aimed to attract a more diverse range of candidates.

Controversy and Backlash:

The affirmative action program and the use of the biographical assessment faced significant criticism and legal challenges:

Legal Challenges: Several lawsuits were filed by groups representing CTI graduates and others, arguing that the new hiring process unfairly disadvantaged candidates with specialized training and prior experience.

Criticism from Congress: Some members of Congress raised concerns that the changes could compromise safety by de-emphasizing technical qualifications in favor of broader life experience.

[Uncle Lonny]

Fly with DEI. Die with DEI.

[Uncle Lonny]

Fly with DEI. Die with DEI.

[supremedoctrine]

Just what I was going to say, I don’t know if Pete is a special case of incompetence among the Cabinet appointees, or just (way above) Par for the Course, but he’s another one who exhibits a total “ho-hum” about the practical dimensions of his so-called “job”.. NONE of them address or even acknowledge any concerns about the “present” and its demands on anyone holding an important position in their field....instead it’s all about the “future” they want to create within the Belly of the Beast while they’re living there.

[PAR35]

DEI in the control tower. Pilots were just following instructions. Until the pilot of the small plane refused to go around because he had already landed and didn’t have enough room to take off again.