cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17843817
Important context:
- January 20: FAA director fired
- January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
- January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
- January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
- January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years
You don’t want to create situations where pilot error causes loss of multiple aircraft. They did it in part because air traffic control had one person doing two jobs. Doing that is a political decision in the name of “efficiency”