The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Billy Nolen, said Wednesday that the agency has taken steps to prevent a repeat of the technology failure last month that halted all U.S. flights. However, he could not guarantee that another breakdown would not occur.
Separately, Nolen defended the safety of airline travel in the United States after a few recent incidents. He stated that the U.S. has not had a fatal crash involving an airline plane since 2009, and he is forming an expert panel to review the aviation system. The panel will hold a safety summit next month to determine what further steps need to be taken to maintain the record of recent years.
At the hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, showed a video re-enactment of a flight scare in Austin, Texas, with both planes being cleared to use the same runway.
Nolen stressed that safety is the FAA’s top priority, but he could not promise that a repeat of the technology failure would not happen. He also pointed out that the FAA is working with airlines and industry partners to ensure the safety of passengers.
Nolen ended by saying that the FAA is committed to the highest safety standards and will do everything it can to keep passengers safe.
