This Air-Traffic Controller Just Averted a Midair Collision. Now He’s Speaking Out.

WSJ via MSN ^ | May 15, 2025 | Staff

[Red Badger]

It seems to me that this situation would be perfect for an AI. It can track and cover thousands of aircraft ever second and not lose any of them.

A human or two adjuncts to keep an eye on things is all that would be necessary........

Elon?.........................

[Red Badger]

AVIATION PING!...................AI ATC?...........

[Fzob]

It seems to me that this situation would be perfect for an AI. It can track and cover thousands of aircraft ever second and not lose any of them.

Seems to me AI cannot correctly direct my phone call to the right place when I call my doctor's office. Not sure I'm ready to trust AI to manage air traffic control.

[Real Cynic No More]

And what happens when AI fails, just like the current computer failures?

[Red Badger]

AI in this case would be managing data from the radar, its sole purpose would be to keep two dots on the radar screen from colliding or even coming near to each other........................

[nitzy]

They aren’t currently even using GPS. They have systems that require the use of floppy disks.

Do you think they are going to implement AI?

[CaptainK]

“Stewart, who isn’t in the controllers’ union, said he is on track this year to earn over $450,000, including overtime.”

I knew the were well paid but that is really well paid.

[paulcissa]

That’s a close second to self-driving autos. Thanks, but no thanks. Computers suck when they get cranky. AI isn’t ready for prime-time infrastructure duties.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Is permanently destroying your health in that ultra high stress job worth it?

I wonder what the average tenure is in that job and how many break down mentally.

[T.B. Yoits]

HAL has entered the chat.

[RckyRaCoCo]

A shame so many tax dollars are stolen by the greedy corrupt political class...that and DEI.

[poinq]

AI lands planes now. But there has to be a human when things go wrong. Right now Full Self Driving for cars has killed a few people. Which is deemed acceptable because humans kill people too. But this is a plane load of people. And humans have gone decades without killing people. So AI may not be ready for this. Its in the plane now and has been for years. But there is also two pilots and air traffic controllers as well.

By the way. The lack of good air traffic controllers, has more to do with the number of qualified applicants and not saving money. They are having a hard time finding qualified people.

[mund1011]

They aren’t currently even using GPS. They have systems that require the use of floppy disks.

++++++++++++

Serious question. How do other super busy airports elsewhere in the world manage ATC? Dubai is supposedly 2nd busiest on the planet. Are they using floppy disks? Of course they are not.
Seems to me that this out of date technology ATC scenario and the systems we stubbornly use at the major cargo sea ports (Long Beach, Los Angeles) are consistently behind the technology curve. There seems to be a common “union mentality” lurking underneath the radar.

[AndyJackson]

For years, the FAA has struggled to fully staff air-traffic facilities

No they haven't. They have struggled to keep out qualified applicants while favoring DEI hires. It's a different "struggle."

[Texas Fossil]

Bump

[TalBlack]

I wouldn’t want anything to do with NY Metro airspace at any price.

[logi_cal869]

I presume that someone is archiving all this in oppo research against buttheadegieg...

[Red Badger]

[Libloather]

Never trusted Teterboro.

[Savage Beast]

MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP:

Sir, please consider promoting Jonathan Stewart to a position of authority and responsibility in upper echelons of the Federal Aviation Administration.