Safety on the Line: FAA Cuts Leave Our Skies at Risk

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The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen at sunset, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Arlington, Va., near the wreckage of a mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet in the Potomac River. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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The has eliminated 400 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) jobs, raising concerns about potential risks to air safety. While officials insist that no critical safety roles were cut, union leaders and former employees warn that many of the eliminated positions were support roles essential to aviation safety.

A Federal Aviation Administration sign hangs in the tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, March 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

The layoffs affect aviation safety assistants, maintenance mechanics, and specialists who update digital maps relied on by pilots. These roles help inspectors, repair air traffic control facilities, and ensure smooth system operations—particularly important following recent incidents in airspace.

Critics argue that even if the affected employees were probationary staff, their absence could strain FAA oversight and weaken safety measures.


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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AURN NEWS WITH EBONY MCMORRIS