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ALTADENA, CA -- An air traffic controller error sent a jet from LAX into the flight path of another plane and flying low over the mountains above the San Gabriel Valley... an EVA Air Boeing 777 that left LAX around 1:20 a.m. heading to Taipei was given an incorrect instruction by a controller based in San Diego to turn left instead of right. That sent the airliner toward the mountains above Altadena, as well as toward the flight path of an Air Canada plane that had just taken off. Audio traffic indicates the same controller realizing the problem and telling...

A House committee chairman says President-elect Donald Trump likes the idea of spinning off air traffic control operations from the government and placing them under the control of a private, non-profit corporation chartered by Congress. Rep. Bill Shuster, head of the House transportation committee, told The Associated Press that he spoke to Trump about the idea several times both before and during the presidential election. He said he believes the president-elect would be supportive, although details would have to be worked out. …

As I hoped would happen, American Thinker’s series on TWA Flight 800 has prompted individuals with first hand knowledge to come forward. “Mark Johnson” is one. An air traffic controller (ATC), he worked the night of July 17, 1996 -- the night TWA Flight 800 was destroyed -- at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) located in Westbury, New York. Johnson has provided me with his real name, and I have confirmed that he was in a position to know what he says he knows. He requested that I use an alias because he has children who depend...

Before the FAA changed the hiring protocol in 2014, the majority of new air traffic control hires had served as controllers in the military or graduated from an FAA-approved Collegiate Training Initiative program — resulting in associate’s or bachelor’s degrees — and were given preference in hiring because of that experience. ... Since 2014, any applicants with aviation degrees or military service are now on equal footing with people without any experience, because the first step to being hired means passing the questionnaire. In some cases, applicants with no experience are passing the questionnaire while those with academic training degrees...

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, NATCA, has called for an investigation of the FAA’s hiring practices following the FOX Business investigation “Trouble in the Skies” first telecast on May 20th. A just released statement from the union which represents the nation’s air traffic controllers says, “NATCA believes these allegations must be thoroughly investigated. The FAA should carefully examine its hiring practices to ensure the highest quality candidates are selected for the training process. The flying public deserves nothing less.” FOX Business uncovered cheating on a key exam to become an air traffic controller as well as serious questions about...

Air traffic controllers are well paid, averaging $136,000 per year. However you have to be under 31-year-old to start, training takes years. ... A major part of the problem is the FAA changed the way it hires controllers about two years ago. They have recently been hiring more of them off the street, instead of candidates with military or college aviation training. Now many of them don't make it through training.

Washington area airports and others along the East Coast are reporting flight delays due to an issue with the system that routes air traffic, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control Web site. “The FAA is diagnosing an automation problem at an air traffic center in Leesburg, Va.,” according to a statement from the agency. “Some flights into and out of the New York and Washington, DC metro area airports area may be delayed.”

How far will our ideologically demented ruling class push Affirmative Action before people start pushing back? Already it has played a role in destroying our schools, with a liberal judge actually abolishing aptitude tests on the grounds that blacks don’t score as well. But apparently people don’t think it matters whether teachers have any qualifications other than skin color. If being black can get you into the White House, why not a classroom? Maybe airliners crashing into each other will wake people up:

Trouble in the Skies Adam Shapiro FOX Business' "Trouble in the Skies," a six month investigation of the FAA’s new hiring practices, uncovered changes that may put the nation’s flying public at risk as well as allegations that the newest air traffic control recruits had access to answers on a key test that helped them gain jobs with the FAA. snip... Also uncovered was an FAA effort to promote diversity that discarded 3000 qualified college graduates with degrees in air traffic control despite their following FAA procedure and obtaining FAA accredited degrees.

It's obviously good news that no one appears to have been hurt when a Delta Air Lines flight skidded off a runway this morning at LaGuardia airport. Here's an aspect of the whole process I find enlightening: Reader and aviation buff Ari Ofsevit sent a link to the LiveAtc.net recording of transmissions from the LaGuardia control tower while the episode was underway. It's not embeddable, but you can listen to an MP3 of the recording if you click here. A listener's guide to what you'll hear:

'We've engineered the biographical questionnaire in a way that we think will promote diversity.'" The initial hurdle for all applicants was based solely on a new, online biographical questionnaire that gave test takers instant results. "It didn't ask me anything about my college experience, my grades, my scores, (and) my ability for the actual job. It asked me what sports I played in high school. What was my least favorite subject in high school. Nothing related to aviation," remembered Meryhew

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is suggesting the FAA rethink its new ATC hiring protocol after the first attempt netted only a fraction of the controller trainee candidates it expected. As we reported in February, the agency revised its recruitment policies in the hopes of attracting a more diverse pool of prospective controllers. More than 28,000 people applied but of those, only 2,200 passed a somewhat mysterious "biographical questionnaire" to advance to the next selection level. NATCA says the FAA was hoping for 30 percent to pass the questionnaire phase. Among those who failed the questionnaire were graduates of...

**SNIP** "CTI students, much, much better. They're better trained better prepared they outperform the off the street hires," said Gilding. Anthony Foxx is the head of the Department of Transportation that oversees the FAA. This is how he described the hiring changes to Congress in March. "The FAA took an opportunity to take a broad opening of the aperture if you will to try to get a larger universe of applicants into the program," he said. "Opening the aperture", code for diversity. But just a year ago the FAA gave the CTI program a glowing review. Stating, "It is clear...

If you’re looking for a new career in the exciting field of aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration is now taking applications to for new air traffic controllers. The requirements for the position do not include, however, previous air traffic controller or aviation experience. The job previously sought those with military or prior aviation experience. […] The current job listing requires only United States citizenship, security clearance, a physical, fluency in English, three years of responsible work experience or a bachelor’s degree. The applicants must able to attend the FAA training academy prior to their 31st birthday and willing to locate...

With the federal government shut down, air traffic controllers learned Friday that they'll be working without a paycheck until lawmakers start paying the bills again. “We have a stressful job, this just adds to it,” said 26 year veteran air traffic controller Greg Colyer. Colyer says after working an 80 hour pay period was stunned to see on his statement Friday that he had only been paid for 56 hours; right up until midnight October 1st. He's worried what will happen if the shutdown stretches through the next pay period. “In 2 weeks if congress doesn't pass a budget we're...

Federal officials reported flight delays at U.S. airports for a third consecutive day on Tuesday, fueling a political blame game as Republicans and Democrats accused each other of causing the furloughs of thousands of air-traffic controllers. On Capitol Hill and at the White House, the rhetoric over across-the-board federal budget cuts known as "sequestration" became increasingly biting. Both sides tried to take political advantage - and avoid responsibility - for cuts by the Federal Aviation Administration that officials say could plague the country's aviation system during the summer travel season.

(Article is a few years old but, in light of the current labor shortages in the FAA's Air Traffic Control (ATC)system caused by the Sequestration, I think it would be a good idea to have the private sector take this over this function.) September 20, 2010 3:41PM Canada’s Private ATC Wins Award By Tad DeHaven Share Canada’s private air traffic control system, Nav Canada, recently received its second “Eagle Award” from the International Air Transport Association. The Eagle Awards “honor air navigation service providers and airports for outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, cost efficiency, and continuous improvement.” In naming Nav...

Some passengers headed to Los Angeles International Airport were met with long delays on the first day of staffing cuts for air traffic controllers resulting from government spending reductions. The Federal Aviation administration said on its website late Sunday that a “traffic management program” was causing delays averaging more than three hours for flights arriving at LAX, reports CBS L.A. station KCBS-TV. The agency did not say how many flights were affected. …

POLITICS Updated September 13, 2012, 9:08 p.m. ET Controllers Boost Giving to Democrats By BRODY MULLINS and ANDY PASZTOR The nation's biggest and most powerful unions are usually among the most generous givers to Democrats. This year there is a newcomer among the top ranks: the low-profile association that represents air-traffic controllers. So far this election, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, with 20,000 members, has emerged as the second-largest union donor to the major pro-Democratic super PACs. It is surpassed only by the Service Employees International Union, which has 2.1 million members. NATCA has donated $1 million to a...