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Closures — 2023 — Travel — Notam — Triggering — technology — Outage

Advanced aviation safety system for aviators set for early replacement

Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) outdated Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system will no longer be in use by 2030, as initially planned. Instead, the FAA announces the implementation of a fresh, modernized system as early as September this year.

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Airport in California's Los Angeles: Suspicious Package Discovered
Airport in California's Los Angeles: Suspicious Package Discovered

Advanced aviation safety system for aviators set for early replacement

Heck, let's get this straight:

The ever-troublesome aviation safety system, the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system, which has kicked us in the teeth twice in the last three years, causing the last US airspace shutdown since 9/11, will be given a new lease on life, according to the Trump cabal.

Originally planned for replacement way out in 2030, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now promises a sleek, modernized system will be up and running by September this year—yep, you heard it right, 2023!

The FAA pulled a fast one, cutting through red tape by employing a streamlined, innovative vendor challenge. As they put it, this stunt was to expedite crucial work with lightning-fast speed!

NOW HERE'S THE DEAL: NOTAMs are essential bulletins pilots gotta read before takeoff, cram-packed with vital safety intel such as runway and taxiway closure notifications. The system malfunctioned big time in January 2023, leading to a nationwide ground stop, resulting in thousands of flight delays. An outage on February 1 of this year pushed the FAA to resort to a backup system, but they claim there was only "minimal disruption" to flights.

Take it from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: "Over the past few years, we've seen a series of system outages grounding regional air travel, creating chaos, and leaving a sour taste in the mouths of the American flying public. NOTAM modernization marks the start as we strive to upgrade the entire air traffic control system, improving safety and making flights smoother."

You might wonder who'll execute this modernization mission. The FAA handed the contract to CGI Federal, Inc., a subsidiary of the big Canadian IT player, CGI.

And hey, this ain't the first time the Trump administration has had their eyes on the NOTAM system. In February, an FAA order scrapped the Biden-era name change of "Notice to Air Missions" for being "opic of all aviators and missions," and reinstated the original moniker (NOTAM) as created in 2021[1].

Sources:1. en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Federal_Aviation_Administration&oldid=11117537872. aviationpros.com/air-traffic/articles/253319-notam-modernization-on-fast-track-under-trump-administration3. apnews.com/article/96b44aa47e334e0c95b394d4c74c829d4. cnn.com/2023/01/11/politics/faa-notes-to-airmen-system-failures/index.html

  1. The FAA's decision to modernize the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system by September 2023, following multiple system outages that triggered travel disruptions, was initially planned for 2030.
  2. The recent NOTAM malfunction in January 2023, which led to a nationwide ground stop and thousands of flight delays, was a stark reminder of the importance of technology in aviation safety.
  3. The modernized NOTAM system, set to be administered by CGI Federal, Inc., could potentially prevent similar closures and disruptions in the future, contributing to smoother flights and improved travel experiences.

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