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
One more controller on duty means they can spot instructions not being followed instead of having to pay attention to something else. Both are important to look at, as an event like this is not because one person messed up; it’s because multiple people were not able to spot the problem before it turned deadly