The FAA says its NextGen work has updated air traffic control infrastructure for communications, navigation, surveillance, automation, and information management. Congress has also provided major new money for air traffic control modernization, including categories such as telecommunications upgrades, radar replacement, and new air route traffic control centers. The public debate is whether modernization should focus first on safety and staffing, faster technology replacement, resilience during disruptions, or stricter accountability for how billions in federal money are spent. People mostly notice air traffic control when flights are delayed, but the bigger issue is whether the system is reliable enough before the next crisis.
What should be the top priority in modernizing U.S. air traffic control?