AUSTIN, Texas — After multiple close calls and deaths due to ground accidents at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), local and national lawmakers are calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to make changes. Now, the FAA has announced some big updates are coming and Austin’s airport will be the first to see some of them.
AUS has seen a slew of close calls with aircraft flying too close to each other and several deaths of ground workers. Lawmakers like U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett are now calling on the FAA to take action.
“We should be entitled to 51 controllers instead of 42. So I'm trying to get that number up and to get people here quicker," said Doggett.
Doggett said due to the short staffing of air traffic controllers, fatigue has been increasing and these near accidents are more likely to continue to happen.
Recently, Doggett met with the FAA’s newly appointed administrator, Michael Whitaker, to get answers.
“I'm pleased that he is prioritizing us, so getting the simulator and he will be coming personally to Austin in January in connection with the simulator," said Doggett.
After an independent safety review team came up with recommendations of what the FAA needs to do, the FAA said Austin’s airport will be the first to get access to a simulator for air traffic control towers.
According to a statement from an FAA spokesperson, "A tower simulator helps to train controllers on airport operations. Its visual database simulates airport operations, layout and tower airspace. This will mean much-improved training for controllers."
"They will open more opportunities for people that are trained to become controllers, particularly working through community colleges around the country instead of relying solely on their training facility in Oklahoma," said Doggett.
The FAA said it is also committed to filling every seat in the academy, increasing classroom capacity levels and will have a year-round hiring track.
Rep. Doggett said these changes are all great, but there is still crucial work to be done, like increasing Austin’s airport ranking for resource purposes.
"We're on the right path. We just need to accelerate, move quicker and move with a greater quantity of controllers," said Doggett.