A fatal midair crash in January involving a military helicopter and a commercial airliner, coupled with several subsequent accidents, has compelled authorities to prioritise the modernisation of the nation's antiquated air traffic control system and the recruitment of additional controllers.

They claim that such actions would contribute to guaranteeing safety and averting the sorts of issues that have significantly affected the Newark, New Jersey, airport following the temporary malfunction of its radar system last week.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will 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 quickly to fix technology and staffing problems in Newark and prevent similar issues in other places.

In the midst of the problems, one thing is clear: the old system is struggling to handle the country's more than 45,000 daily flights.

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

“We are addressing the issue and intend to resolve it by constructing an entirely new system for everyone, including their families and the American people,” Duffy stated.

However, there isn't much specific information available. It's not clear if the plan will include making air traffic control private, which is something Trump supported in his first term. Duffy hasn't mentioned this possibility. The announcement on Thursday is expected to attract many unions, who would probably be against privatization, as well as trade groups, industry representatives, and families of those who died in the January crash.

The system has functioned sufficiently for years, leading various administrations to mostly overlook it, according to Sheldon Jacobson, a University of Illinois professor and aviation risk expert. He stated, “Adequate performance is insufficient in air travel, as human lives are in jeopardy.”

However, recent events like the crash between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter in Washington D.C. in January, and a plane that crashed and caught fire in Toronto, might create new support for Duffy’s idea, even though Jacobson doubts it will work.

The long-standing shortcomings of the nation's air traffic control system have consistently been underscored in official reports and public hearings. Notably, a recent Government Accountability Office review in March classified 51 of the FAA's 138 systems as unsustainable and a further 54 as potentially so. A disruption in the FAA's Notice to Airmen system in 2023 led to a nationwide grounding of flights exceeding two hours.

Frank Lorenzo, the former CEO of Continental Airlines, who helped create a big hub in Newark that United Airlines still uses years after buying Continental, said, "We have an old system and old infrastructure. 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 systems at over 4,600 places still use old copper wires for some parts, instead of better fiber optic lines that can handle more information. Problems with these lines that are not expected often stop planes from taking off at airports and seem to have caused the issues in Newark.

The radar system used by air traffic controllers in Philadelphia to guide planes at Newark airport stopped working for at least 30 seconds on April 28. This happened possibly because the lines sending radar information from New York failed. Some of these lines are old copper phone lines. The FAA uses these lines because the controllers who worked at Newark were moved from New York to Philadelphia last summer to help with not having enough staff.

On Wednesday, the FAA announced its intention to substitute all existing copper wiring with fiber optics and establish three extra data connections between New York and Philadelphia. Furthermore, the agency is endeavouring to qualify and accredit a greater number of air traffic controllers.

The duration required for each stage remains uncertain, although Duffy has expressed optimism for improvement in Newark by summer, coinciding with the scheduled conclusion of a runway construction project. Multiple controllers continue on protracted trauma leave following the radar outage, which exacerbated staffing deficiencies in Philadelphia.

Consequently, the FAA has deliberately reduced flight traffic at Newark to guarantee the safe management of operations, which has resulted in cancellations. Duffy also stated that the FAA intends to convene with all airlines to establish the airport's passenger handling capacity. According to FlightAware.com, Newark experienced the highest number of cancellations nationwide on Wednesday, with 42 departures and 46 arrivals affected. This occurred despite United's decision to eliminate 35 daily flights from the airport beginning the previous weekend.

The FAA has progressively enhanced its systems within the Nextgen program, initiated in 2003. These advancements encompass the creation of the ADS-B system, which relays more exact aircraft positions to controllers and other aircraft. This system has been a central element in the inquiry into the January crash, as the Black Hawk helicopter was not transmitting its location via this method when the collision occurred.

Duffy has endeavoured to accelerate the hiring of air traffic controllers by reducing the duration required for academy entry and enhancing student achievement rates. The FAA is additionally providing incentives to seasoned controllers to deter premature retirement.

A big problem with improving aviation infrastructure is that the FAA has to keep the old system working while they build a new one. Then, they need to find a way to change to the new system without any problems. This is one reason why the agency has made smaller, step-by-step improvements before.

Jeff Guzetti, a former accident investigator who worked in the Transportation Department’s Inspector General’s office for several years, said the problem has been around for decades. He said it's not because people didn't care, but because it's a difficult problem to fix. He also said it needs money and good leadership. However, the FAA has not had enough money or good leadership for many years.