Software update keeps Newark airport radar online

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Monday that a recent software update prevented another radar outage at Newark airport due to a failed telecommunications line. Duffy mentioned that these issues could have been avoided if action had been taken by President Biden’s administration to improve the air traffic control facility in Philadelphia. The Federal Aviation Administration’s update on Friday ensured that the backup system worked during the recent incident. The FAA will discuss extending flight limits at Newark due to ongoing issues. Duffy also plans to investigate last year’s relocation of air traffic controllers to Philadelphia from New York. He criticized the Biden administration for not addressing infrastructure issues. Despite the recent problems, Duffy unveiled a plan to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system last week. Chris Meagher, an advisor to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, defended the Biden administration’s efforts to address air traffic control problems. Duffy’s plan includes installing new data connections and radars, but the cost is yet to be determined. The FAA has started testing new fiber optic lines at Newark and New York airports to replace old copper wires.