Slot Who?

 This article in AvWeb caught my attention:

"A continuing controller shortage at the New York TRACON has prompted the FAA to extend its relaxation of slot use requirements at the three main New York airports to Oct. 28, 2023."

Well, that's clear as mud.  I don't know if that is AvWeb's doing (probably not) or the FAA's (which is most likely seeing as it sounds like doublespeak).  I intend to keep this short and -- in that I am retired -- I don't feel the need to write as precisely as I once did (so he tells himself).


Anyway, if you don't know about slots...they are a good thing and you can read this blog post to learn about them.  Or this blog post.  But especially this blog post.  (I wrote that last one for the New York Times.  They didn't run it.  I could have been somebody.  I could have been a contender.)  The point being, this issue is as old as aircraft carriers (Go Navy.  A lot of airplanes in a little space.) and it will never, ever go away.  All you need to know is an airplane taking off occupies the runway for about a minute.  An airplane landing does the same.  And there are only 60 minutes in an hour.  Now, if you never have snow, ice, fog or thunderstorms you can land 30 airplanes per hour and depart 30 airplanes per hour -- per runway.  And that math is inescapable (if you want to maintain the level of safety we enjoy today).  That's the reason that last blog post was cleverly entitled Air Traffic Safety vs Capacity.
 

I have nothing new to say about that subject.  So let's move on to the "continuing controller shortage" part of the article.  Who would believe it???  I wrote about that too. Way back in 2008.  Helpful hint:  I'm not that smart.  And the FAA isn't that dumb.  Everybody could see this coming...(2023-2008 = 15)...15 years ago. 

AvWeb carries on: " “The FAA is working closely with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to implement a long-term solution to resolve ongoing low staffing levels at the New York TRACON.”  

Oh yeah, the full disclosure thing:  I used to write for AvWeb. 

For those that don't know. New York TRACON is in Westbury, Long Island, New York.  If you click on that link (because you don't know where Westbury is) you can zoom out and see how close to JFK and New York City, Westbury is.  I don't know about  you but I don't want to be trapped on Long Island.  (Think about it.  Want to travel?  How do you get off the island?)  Not to mention, it is somewhat expensive.  And full of Yankees.  I'm pretty sure Southern boys (and girls) aren't lined up awaiting the opportunity to go live their life just outside the Big City and pay 2 to 3 times as much as they're used to on housing (and taxes and everything else).

Housing?  Now there's a thought.  It's a thought that keeps coming back to me again and again. From Congressmen to refugees to controllers.  Why don't we look at housing?  Imagine if the FAA built housing for New York controllers on site.  Or right next door.  Would that attract controllers?  Ditto for Congress.  Instead of sleeping in their offices, or sleeping with their donors (money) in a hotel or mansion, imagine if we provided them housing.   Free of charge.  You may not think there's a shortage of Congressmen but there seems to be a shortage of good Congressmen.  (If you don't agree, I expect you to apply for the job.  Yeah, when you think about it, who in their right mind would want that job?)

Yes, I did throw in refugees too.  I think we should build a half dozen cities to acclimate refugees to America.  Not to mention, Katrina won't be the last super-storm we're going to experience.  With Global Warming here now, we're going to have refugees.  A lot of them.  Some of them will even be Americans.  It might be wise to have a place (or 10) that can absorb 5,000 people overnight.  Ask the citizens of Maui about it.  See what they think.

Anyway, my point is, we can solve the controller shortage -- if we want to solve it.  Which is true of most of America's problems.  You may think I'm just throwing money at problems.  Maybe I am.  But it beats burning money in a dumpster fire.  Besides, it's not much fun to hang at the airport when your flight has been cancelled.  Or when your town is burned to the ground.  And if you made (or should I say "induced"?) Congressmen to live with each other maybe they'd figure out how to get along and work together.  Maybe it'd be money well spent.

Don Brown
August 13, 2023