Overview

• The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a telecommunications outage at 3:55 a.m. on May 9, lasting 90 seconds, disrupting radar and communication systems guiding Newark Liberty International Airport.
• This marks the second outage in less than two weeks, following a similar incident on April 28, which caused significant delays, cancellations, and controller trauma leaves.
• The FAA has implemented temporary high-bandwidth connections and backup systems at Philadelphia TRACON, while planning a full transition to fiber-optic networks to address recurring failures.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed a multibillion-dollar modernization plan to overhaul aging air traffic control systems, including replacing 618 radars and building new control centers over the next three to four years.
• Flight disruptions at Newark continue, with FlightAware reporting 8% of flights canceled and 25% delayed on May 9, exacerbated by ongoing runway construction and staffing shortages.