A fatal midair collision in January involving a military helicopter and a commercial airliner, along with subsequent crashes, have compelled officials to address the nation's antiquated air traffic control system and recruit additional controllers.

They say doing this would help make sure things are safe and stop the kinds of problems that have caused trouble for the Newark, New Jersey, airport since its radar system stopped working for a short time last week.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to announce a multi-billion-dollar plan to improve the country's air traffic control system on Thursday. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration is working to quickly fix technology and staffing problems in Newark and prevent similar problems in other places.

Amidst the turbulence, a clear issue emerges: an obsolete system is evidently failing to manage the country's volume of over 45,000 daily flights.

It's not clear if Duffy's plan, which President Donald Trump supports, will get the money it needs from Congress to work better than past reform efforts over the last 30 years. But Duffy says it's essential. Since 2003, over $14 billion has already been spent on improvements, but none of them have really changed how the system operates.

"We are actively addressing the issue and intend to resolve it by implementing a completely new system for everyone, including your families and the American populace," Duffy stated.

However, specific details are limited, leaving it ambiguous whether the proposal includes privatising air traffic control, a measure previously endorsed by Trump during his initial tenure, and a possibility Duffy has not emphasised.

According to University of Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobson, an expert in aviation risks, the system has functioned adequately for an extended period, leading successive administrations to mostly overlook it. However, he cautioned that "adequate performance is insufficient in the context of air travel, given the potential threat to human life."

Jacobson doubts that Duffy's proposal will work. However, there might be more support after the crash between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter over Washington D.C. in January, and a plane that flipped over and caught fire in Toronto.

For years, various reports and official hearings have underscored the vulnerabilities within the country's air traffic control infrastructure.

Frank Lorenzo, the former CEO of Continental Airlines, who helped create a major hub in Newark that United Airlines still uses years after buying Continental, said, "The system and infrastructure are old. We haven't really given it the attention it needs."

The head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association told Congress that most of the FAA's communication system at over 4,600 places still uses old copper wires for at least some of its parts. This is instead of using better fiber optic lines that can handle more information. When these old lines have unexpected problems, it often stops planes from taking off at airports, and it seems this caused the issues in Newark.

On April 28, the radar system utilized by air traffic controllers in Philadelphia to manage aircraft movements at Newark airport experienced an outage lasting a minimum of 30 seconds. This facility is dependent on radar data transmitted via lines from New York, some of which are antiquated copper phone lines, and these connections may have been the point of failure. The FAA's reliance on these lines stems from the relocation of Newark controllers from New York to Philadelphia last summer, a measure implemented to mitigate staffing shortages.

The FAA announced on Wednesday its intention to substitute existing copper wiring with fiber optics and introduce three supplementary data lines connecting New York and Philadelphia. The agency is also endeavouring to qualify and certify more air traffic controllers.

The duration of each phase remains uncertain, although Duffy anticipates an improvement in Newark's situation by summer, coinciding with the scheduled conclusion of a continuous runway construction project. Several controllers are still on prolonged trauma leave following the radar failure, which compounded staffing deficiencies in Philadelphia.

Consequently, the FAA has reduced the flow of aircraft at Newark, impacting both arrivals and departures, to maintain safety protocols, which has resulted in flight cancellations. Duffy further stated that the FAA will engage with all carriers to ascertain the airport's capacity for handling flights. According to FlightAware.com, Newark experienced the highest number of cancellations nationwide on Wednesday, with 42 outbound and 46 inbound flights canceled. This occurred despite United having already reduced its daily flights from the airport by 35 since the previous weekend.

The FAA has implemented gradual enhancements through its Nextgen program, initiated in 2003. These advancements encompass the development of the ADS-B system, which furnishes controllers and other aircraft with more accurate location data. This system has been a central element in the inquiry into the January crash, as the Black Hawk helicopter was not transmitting its position via this system at the moment of the impact.

Duffy has also attempted to expedite the process of recruiting air traffic controllers by reducing the time required to enter the academy and enhancing student achievement rates, and the FAA is additionally offering incentives to experienced controllers to deter premature retirement.

A big problem with improving air travel systems is that the FAA has to keep the old system working while building a new one. Then, they need to change to the new system smoothly. This is part of the reason why the agency has made smaller, step-by-step improvements before.

"The issue has persisted for decades, not due to negligence, but its inherent complexity," stated Jeff Guzetti, a former accident investigator who also served in the Transportation Department's Inspector General's office, specialising in aviation, for several years. "Effective resolution necessitates both financial investment and competent oversight. The FAA has consequently experienced deficits in both areas for an extended period."