# Duffy proposes plans to upgrade air traffic control systems, use AI to find 'hot spots'

Transportation secretary announces plans to bolster airports with the latest technology over the next four years, while also using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify "hot spots" where close encounters between aircraft occur frequently.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced plans to bolster airport air traffic control systems with the latest technology over the next four years, while also using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify "hot spots" where close encounters between aircraft occur frequently.

The announcement came after an update on an investigation into a crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in , when a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines-operated passenger jet collided over the Potomac River on Jan. 29.

"We’re here because 67 souls lost their lives on Jan. 29," Duffy told reporters on Tuesday, noting that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) unveiled its preliminary findings into the crash earlier in the day.

The findings noted that, over the last two and a half years, there have been 85 near-misses or  Close calls were identified as incidents when there are less than 200 feet of vertical separation and 1,500 feet of lateral separation between aircraft.



Appearing shocked at the findings, Duffy questioned how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not know about the "hot spot," where near-misses happen frequently.

"We’re having near-misses, and if we don’t change our way, we’re going to lose lives," he said. "That wasn’t done. Maybe there was a focus on something other than safety, but in this administration, we are focusing on safety."

Once the hot spots are identified, Duffy’s team will implement changes to reduce the close encounters between aircraft.

Duffy also said he has learned that air traffic control systems across the country are 25 to 30 years old, and some of them even use floppy disks as if they were stuck in the 1980s.

While the system is antiquated, the secretary stressed it was safe. Despite the system being safe, Duffy said it needs to be upgraded.

"This should have happened four years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago," he said. "But, right now, we’re at a point where we can actually do it. And we can do it really fast."



Technology, on the other hand, is not cheap, which the secretary acknowledged.

In an environment in which the Department of Government Efficiency is looking for ways to cut costs and save money, Duffy explained making upgrades in the name of safety is worth the investment.

Over the next couple of weeks, Duffy said, he plans to introduce his plan to Congress and take in their feedback.

Once he goes through the feedback, Duffy said he plans to return to Congress and ask for the money up front to expedite the process of upgrading the air traffic control systems.

"It’s not that the FAA didn’t want to do the upgrades," he said. "It just takes too long. So, they have to give us the money. We’re going to later lay out our plan to actually do it really quickly."

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
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