FAA negligence exposed: Air traffic controller saves 400 lives
"I don't want to be responsible for killing 400 people," says Jonathan Stewart, an experienced air traffic controller who prevented a dangerous collision in the airspace over New Jersey. He reveals the behind-the-scenes work under pressure and accuses the FAA of serious negligence, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal describes Jonathan Stewart's story. He was on his fourth hour of duty when he noticed two planes on the radar heading straight for each other.
"It's like playing 3D chess at 250 miles per hour," he says about his work. He managed to react—issuing commands to the pilots to change course. The collision was avoided. However, after the incident on May 4, Stewart went on stress-related leave.
This is not an isolated incident. More and more controllers in the USA are taking trauma-related leaves. The reason is the dramatic working conditions and the continuous failures of the FAA system. "I don't want to be responsible for killing 400 people," Stewart repeats.
Stewart has been professionally managing airspace traffic for 25 years. He currently works in the Tracon unit, which controls approaches to Newark Airport, among other tasks.
High earnings but health suffers
Although he earns up to $450,000 annually (including overtime), he speaks openly about the cost of this job on his health. "You give up nights, weekends, holidays, birthdays, everything else. Your mental health and your physical health take a toll," he emphasizes.
Failure? It's not a question but a matter of time—controllers warn. Radar malfunctions, lack of communication, and radiotelephone outages are just some of the problems causing the FAA to limit the number of flights and implement temporary fixes. Stewart writes bluntly in the report that "the situation is, has been, and continues to be unsafe. The amount of stress we are under is insurmountable."
The FAA claims it introduces new equipment, invests in training, and asks Congress for billions of dollars. The new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, promises to prioritize facilities like the one in Philadelphia. Stewart admits, "For the first time that I'm aware of, they are throwing money at the problem."
