Staff Reports
In today’s world, you would hope that when you board a plane, the top concern is for your safety. However, as a tragic midair collision has shown, sometimes it seems like bureaucratic incompetence takes a front-row seat. This collision, involving an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter, cost the lives of 67 individuals and has uncovered a web of failures and misguided priorities at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
First, let’s talk about the mishap’s immediate cause: air traffic control. Staff levels were “not normal” at the time of the crash. Reports suggest one of the controllers even left early—right before tragedy struck. Some might think ensuring competent personnel are stationed at control towers overlooking America’s busy runways is common sense, but it seems like that’s more of a novel concept to those currently calling the shots.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has now announced restrictions on helicopter operations around Reagan National Airport. It’s a little like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, but at least it’s something. After all, military flights reportedly forced planes to abort landings just days before the collision. You don’t need a Ph.D. in aviation safety to see that allowing conflicting flight paths might lead to chaos in the skies.
President Trump has made it his mission to address what he calls the “DEI rot” at the FAA. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion might sound all warm and fuzzy, but when you’re in the business of controlling aircraft landing at some of the busiest airports in the nation, qualifications should trump a box-ticking approach. The President’s critics, of course, disagree, suggesting his focus on standards somehow equates to race-baiting. However, essential questions remain about how this accident happened, and they’re questions not to be shouted down by cries of political correctness.
Finally, the broader question is whether accountability is a relic of the past. With the media eager to spin any criticism of the current administration into a racial issue, it’s no wonder we’re seeing a crisis of competence. It is troubling that thousands of highly qualified individuals might have been bypassed for such crucial roles at the FAA, potentially for not meeting diversity criteria. Meanwhile, the busiest airport runways are left scrambling with understaffed towers. A tragedy like this should wake anyone to the reality that safety cannot be sacrificed at the altar of identity politics.
The blame game only gets you so far, but accountability is essential. It seems clear that a thorough review of hiring standards should be a priority if we’re to ensure such disasters do not happen again. Until then, those heading up America’s skies might want to keep a close eye on the administration’s policies—because high-flying ideals shouldn’t come crashing down in such devastating circumstances.
