Follows Incident At Aurora, IL Air Traffic Facility

FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta has announced that the agency is conducting a 30-day review of contingency plans and security protocols for its major facilities, after a criminal action by a contractor on Friday knocked out communications equipment at an FAA high-altitude air traffic facility in Aurora, IL.

Huerta made the announcement in a speech at an Air Traffic Control Association conference in Maryland Monday morning.

"I do understand the traveling public's frustrations with flight delays and cancellations," Huerta said. "The air transportation system is vital to our economy and people rely on it to function 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I want to make sure that we have the most robust contingency plans possible."

In the speech, Huerta laid out the timeline of the incident, and the steps that are being taken to bring the system back online. He said the first part of the process of rebuilding the Chicago Center facility is already underway. "The first shipment of communications equipment arrived last (Sunday) night and crews began installing it over night.  All of the equipment will arrive this week and we are working with the Harris Corporation towards a target of having the communications capabilities rebuilt and up and running by October 13th.  That is an extraordinarily accelerated timeline, and I have to thank the teamwork of the employees in the Central Service Area and all across the nation, for their dedication and willingness to work round-the-clock to get this done."

Huerta said he has asked the Air Traffic Organization, in collaboration with NATCA and PASS, to review contingency plans for major facilities. "Over the next 30 days, they will take a look at our plans to make sure we are prepared to both assure the safety of aircraft but also the efficiency of the system. I want to make sure we have all the tools in place to get our airspace back up and running as quickly as possible.  I’ve asked the team to think as creatively as possible and make recommendations to me about our preparedness going forward," Huerta said.

The process will also include a review the security protocols at our facilities to make sure the most robust policies and practices are in place, Huerta said. "If we need to make changes as a result of what happened on Friday to improve the system, we will not hesitate to do so."

(Image from file)

FMI: Text of Speech