Elon Musk said Thursday that he\u2019s sending his Starlink satellite internet terminals to the Federal Aviation Administration while saying, without providing evidence, that current technology poses a risk to air travel safety.<\/p>\n
The billionaire and top advisor to President Donald Trump, who has been tasked with cutting costs throughout the federal government, posted the claims on his social media platform, X.<\/p>\n
Executives at major airlines told CNBC on Thursday that they do not see risks to air travel safety because of the FAA\u2019s technology.<\/p>\n
The FAA, which regulates Musk\u2019s company SpaceX, didn\u2019t immediately comment but earlier this week said it has been testing Starlink technology in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in Alaska. The White House referred a request for comment to the FAA.<\/p>\n
The FAA \u201chas been considering the use of Starlink since the prior administration to increase reliability at remote sites, including in Alaska,\u201d the agency said Monday. \u201cThis week, the FAA is testing one terminal at its facility in Atlantic City and two terminals at non-safety critical sites in Alaska.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the FAA is close to canceling a contract with Verizon for new communication technology for air traffic control and giving it instead to Musk\u2019s Starlink.<\/p>\n
Musk said Thursday on X: a \u201cVerizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly.\u201d Verizon said in a statement that \u201cthe FAA systems currently in place are run by L3Harris and not Verizon.\u201d He later corrected himself and said that L3Harris is responsible for the \u201crapidly declining\u201d system.<\/p>\n
L3Harris didn\u2019t immediately return request for comment.<\/p>\n
Verizon said it is working on replacing older air traffic control technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Company is working on building the next generation system for the FAA which will support the Agency\u2019s mission for safe and secure air travel,\u201d Verizon said in its statement. \u201cWe are at the beginning of a multi-year contract to replace antiquated, legacy systems. Our teams have been working with the FAA\u2019s technology teams and our solution stands ready to be deployed. We continue to partner with the FAA on achieving its modernization objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musk didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Some Democrat lawmakers have raised concerns about Musk\u2019s role in the Trump administration while also potentially working to provide technology to one of his regulators.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I support efforts to modernize our air traffic control system and improve aviation safety, this decision raises conflicts-of-interest concerns, given Elon Musk\u2019s dual position as Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and wide-ranging role in the Trump administration,\u201d wrote Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., to Chris Rocheleau, acting head of the FAA, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Others have raised alarms after the Trump administration laid off hundreds of FAA employees, though they do not include air traffic controllers.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a minimum, we need to know why this sudden reduction was necessary, what type of work these employees were doing, and what kind of analysis FAA conducted \u2014 if any \u2014 to ensure this would not adversely impact safety, increase flight delays or harm FAA operations,\u201d Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., wrote to Rocheleau on Feb. 19.<\/p>\n
The FAA has said it has retained staff \u201cwho perform safety critical functions. The FAA does not comment on ongoing certification work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Airlines for years have pushed for air traffic modernization. Carriers have long complained about how older systems have not kept up with the industry\u2019s needs, leading to flight delays that cost both passengers and carriers. Air travel demand hit records after the pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cCarriers have made remarkable changes and significant investments in technologies, operations, product and people,\u201d Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. carriers, said Thursday. \u201cThe government needs to do the same in an organized and timely way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musk\u2019s comments on air safety failures, which didn\u2019t include evidence, come after last month\u2019s fatal collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, killing all 67 people on board the two aircraft. It ended an unprecedented period of air travel safety in the U.S., marking the first fatal passenger airline crash in the country since 2009 and the deadliest since 2001.<\/p>\n
Last week, more than a dozen aviation industry groups and labor unions, urged lawmakers to approve \u201cemergency funding\u201d for air traffic control modernization and staffing.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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