Meanwhile, major airports across the United States reporting thousands of delays since the beginning of the government shutdown. Those disruptions being exacerbated by staffing shortages as air traffic controllers go without pay. It's a challenge our next guest says could escalate from delays to flight cancellations if the shutdown lasts a long time.Joining us this morning is Marian Blakey, former FAA administrator, NTSB chair, CEO of Rolls-Royce North America. Marian, appreciate the time and the help. Good ...

Unpaid air traffic controllers and airport snarls show we need a better way to handle plane travel, @tomwblack says (via @opinion) https://t.co/78ObFtOt6o ...

US Transportation Secretary threatens to fire absent air traffic controllers https://t.co/EadzzaaXuY ...

Flyers should expect unpaid air traffic controllers to call in sick more often as the government shutdown continues, a veteran air traffic controller told Forbes, as the stress of working without pay in a critically understaffed agency has become “untenable.” https://t.co/SdO7ojgm5o ...

We are seeing fallout now from the government shutdown play out at airports across the country. The FAA is already facing a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers must work without pay. And now the Department of Transportation is reporting an increase in sick calls causing major delays and causing even greater shortages.Joining us now, Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. So Nick, as we're seeing these big delays happening at airports from Las Vegas to Philad ...

Aviation Industry Impact - Government shutdown leads to air traffic controller staffing shortages, causing major airport delays in Nashville and Chicago [1][5][6] - FAA warns that Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, Dallas, Houston, and Boston could also be affected by potential controller shortages [7] - Controller shortages have also caused delays at Newark, Denver, and Phoenix [8] - Air traffic controllers are working without pay and mandatory overtime, potentially leading to increased sick calls and further delays [8][9][12] Weather and Disaster Events - Life-threatening flash floods in Louisville, Kentucky, with over 4 inches (1016 mm) of rain falling in one day [13] - A potentially dangerous storm is tracking towards the East Coast, with possible coastal flooding and power outages [2][16] Geopolitical and Security Issues - Israel marks 2 years since the Hamas terror attacks, with ongoing negotiations to save hostages [4][26] - Illegal border crossings have plummeted to record lows under President Trump's policies, with encounters dropping from over 2,000 to 20 migrants per day in Eagle Pass, Texas [29][30] - DHS touting the lowest number of illegal border crossings since 1970 [31] Legal and Justice System - Attorney General Pam Bondi grilled by Senate Democrats regarding DOJ investigations and the Epstein files [2][17] - A woman overturned a ruling against her by using AI (ChatGPT) to draft motions and briefs, highlighting both the potential and risks of AI in legal battles [4][36][37][41] Technology and AI - More Americans are using AI instead of paying lawyers, but AI can create hallucinations, legal citations that don't actually exist [4][36][38] Human Interest and Community - Heroic drivers helped lift a crashed medical helicopter to free a trapped passenger [3][22][23] - A dog named Eeyore led a sheriff's deputy to a missing 86-year-old woman [43][44] - A high school freshman football player surprised a cheerleader with a homecoming proposal, creating a heartwarming viral moment [4][45][46]

Government Shutdown Impact on Air Traffic Control - Government shutdown is causing stress among air traffic controllers due to potential paycheck delays, impacting their ability to work overtime and maintain safety [2][3][7] - The shutdown is exacerbating existing staffing shortages, with the air traffic control system already short over 2,000 controllers [12] - Potential furloughs of support staff could disrupt training for new controllers, hindering efforts to address the controller deficit [16][17] - Airlines are currently managing the issues, but prolonged delays could lead to public outcry and pressure to end the shutdown [19][20] Air Traffic Controller Workforce - Air traffic controllers are working with outdated equipment, some of which is 20-50 years old [3] - The industry is actively working to increase the throughput of the academy by 20% to address the shortage of controllers [13] - The time frame for a candidate to enter the academy has been reduced to attract more applicants [14] - Air traffic controllers can earn significant income, with potential earnings up to $400,000 per year with overtime in areas like New York [13] Funding and Infrastructure - The industry needs $31 billion to revamp the air traffic control system, with $125 billion already secured [20][21]

Airspace Usage & Cost Allocation - Airspace users should contribute to covering costs, potentially through fuel taxes [2] - Charges should consider the infrastructure used, such as air traffic control, airports, and launchpads [5] - Cost differences exist between commercial and private aviation due to varying infrastructure needs [1][4] Infrastructure & Technology - Terminals costing billions of dollars may warrant higher taxes/rates for airlines [1] - Private aviation often uses less of the massive airport infrastructure [1] - Electric vertical takeoff and landing (Evatl) aircraft require smaller infrastructure, impacting cost structure [4] Regulatory Considerations - Congress will ultimately determine the specific implementation of airspace usage fees [2] - The debate centers on whether charges should be based on planes versus people [3]

Air Traffic Control & Infrastructure - The FAA is working to update air traffic control infrastructure and technology, with $125 billion allocated as a down payment towards the total $315 billion needed [4] - Air traffic control improvements are expected to yield a 10 to 20 times return on investment [5] - There is a deficit of 3,000 air traffic controllers, and efforts are underway to streamline the hiring process and retain existing controllers with a 20% bonus for those who stay on after 25 years of service [7][8] - The FAA plans to deploy sensors on busy runways to actively control planes and prevent near misses [11] Space Industry & Regulation - The Commercial Space Industry aims to expedite innovation and streamline regulation [1] - The US has 60% of the space launch business, down from 100%, due to excessive regulations, and the goal is to streamline processes to encourage more launches from America [34] - The cost to launch a satellite into space has decreased to a little over $1 million due to innovation from companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin [38] - The government aims to treat all space companies fairly, providing equitable access to launchpads and licensing to foster competition [41] Aviation Taxes & Privatization - Everyone using the airspace should help pay for it, often through fuel taxes [17] - Infrastructure usage, such as air traffic control, airports, and launchpads, should factor into taxation, with different structures for commercial and private aviation [19][20] - Privatizing air traffic control was considered but did not pass, and is not currently being pursued [20][21] Criticism of Previous Administration - The previous Secretary of DOT was criticized for focusing on DEI and climate initiatives instead of addressing basic infrastructure needs [24] - $7 billion allocated for charging stations resulted in only 84 being built due to regulations related to DEI and green initiatives [29]

Aviation Safety & Regulation - NTSB is holding final hearings on a midair collision between a US Army helicopter and a passenger plane [1] - FAA acknowledged air traffic controller failed to notify aircraft about the helicopter [2] - FAA needs to listen to air traffic controllers and data to lead on better safety regimes [3] - The airspace around National Airport is congested with both military and commercial aviation [4] - There were 1500 near misses in the corridor [5] - FAA should monitor information on high levels of interaction between corridors with military involvement and commercial airspace at other airports [7] Trade & Tariffs - Tariffs are an increase on the cost of household goods, foods, for small businesses, and manufacturers for Americans [9] - August 1st will be the date Americans know that the administration is not serious about their affordability issue [10] - Congress should review and approve trade deals [12]