The Daily – Passenger Planes Nearly Collide Far More Than You Know

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” the focus is on the alarming number of close calls between passenger planes in the United States. The public is largely unaware of how frequently these near collisions occur, and the safety system underlying aviation is under immense strain. The podcast sheds light on the lack of comprehensive data, the causes of these close calls, and the urgent need for the aviation industry to address the safety concerns.

Main Takeaways

Frequency of Close Calls

• US passenger planes come dangerously close to crashing into each other far more frequently than the public knows.
• A lot more close calls than almost anyone realizes are happening, occurring extremely frequently.
• Close calls are happening multiple times on average every week in the aviation industry.
• In July, there were at least 46 close calls in the US involving commercial passenger planes.
• The NASA database documented roughly 300 reports of close calls on the ground and in the air in the most recent 12-month period.

Safety System Under Stress

• The safety system underlying aviation is under tremendous stress.
• There is no real authoritative comprehensive source that shows how many commercial planes are coming into these near collisions.
• The aviation industry needs to address the safety concerns and find solutions to prevent future incidents.
• Safety system in the aviation industry is under incredible strain and reaching a breaking point.
• Shortage of air traffic controllers is causing mistakes among controllers and pilots.

Swiss Cheese Safety Model

• The safety system in the aviation industry is built on layers known as the Swiss cheese model.
• Redundancies are built into the system so if one layer fails, the other layers are supposed to catch it.
• The experience level of pilots has decreased, making them more prone to mistakes, but the Swiss cheese safety model is supposed to catch errors in the system.
• Recent incidents show potential dangers of multi-layered safety system failures in air traffic control.

Lack of Technology and Resources

• Service detection technology is only available in 43 out of roughly 500 airports that serve commercial airlines.
• Collision avoidance technology in the cockpit is crucial in preventing potential collisions.
• FAA faces financial constraints in hiring more controllers and installing more technology to improve safety measures.
• Shortage in air traffic controllers is severe, and hiring with current funds won’t solve the problem.
• Technology on runways is old and needs attention.

Summary

The Frequency of Close Calls

The podcast reveals that passenger planes in the US are coming dangerously close to crashing into each other far more frequently than the public knows. Close calls are happening multiple times every week, with at least 46 close calls documented in July alone. The lack of a comprehensive source to track these near collisions highlights the need for greater transparency in reporting and addressing the issue.

The Strained Safety System

The safety system underlying aviation is under tremendous stress. The shortage of air traffic controllers has led to mistakes among controllers and pilots, further exacerbating the problem. The Swiss cheese safety model, which relies on redundancies to catch errors, is facing challenges due to the decreased experience level of pilots. Recent incidents serve as a warning of potential failures within the multi-layered safety system.

Lack of Technology and Resources

The podcast highlights the lack of technology and resources in the aviation industry. Service detection technology, crucial for preventing collisions, is only available in a fraction of airports serving commercial airlines. Financial constraints faced by the FAA limit their ability to hire more controllers and install additional safety technology. The outdated technology on runways further adds to the safety concerns.

Conclusion

The podcast episode sheds light on the alarming frequency of close calls between passenger planes and the strain on the safety system in the aviation industry. It calls for urgent action to address the safety concerns, improve technology and resources, and prevent potential disasters. The public and industry stakeholders must be made aware of the severity of the issue to prompt necessary changes and ensure the safety of air travel.