The recent collision of the American Airlines plane and the military helicopter is sparking conversation about the understaffed air traffic control towers at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
News outlets are shedding light on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) hiring policy that allegedly discriminated against qualified air traffic controls, which may have led to the understaffing of the DCA.
As more details about the horrific crash continue to emerge, the FAA workplace discrimination lawsuit is scrutinized even more.
For years, the FAA has been facing legal battles due to its hiring policy that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Around 1,000 individuals have filed discrimination lawsuits against the FAA, as per the New York Times.
The lawsuit alleges that the FAA hiring policy discriminated against qualified air traffic controllers because of their race. According to The Washington Times, over 3,000 people were denied employment during the Obama administration as it promoted DEI in FAA hiring practices.
DCA Collision and Short-Staffed Air Control Towers
The crash near the DCA resulted in the death of 64 passengers of the American Airlines plane and three military crew members of the military helicopter. Recent developments on this incident report the recovery of the black boxes of both aircraft.
As per federal investigators, the number of staff present during the time of the accident was "not normal." With this information, officials are investigating whether an understaffed air control tower may have been one of the reasons for the midair collision.
The shortage of staff at the DCA towers points back to the FAA hiring policy and ongoing discrimination lawsuits.
Changes in FAA Hiring Policy
The "biological assessment" was included in the FAA hiring process in 2013. This was implemented to increase the efforts of hiring minorities and those with disabilities. While it promoted DEI in the world of aviation, it also had its disadvantages.
The addition of the biological assessment was cited as one of the reasons why some candidates were disqualified for the position of air traffic controller. Note that these candidates were rightfully qualified as they have completed their course in under the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiatives (AT-CTI). Some of the rejected applicants even had a pilot's license, which would have made them more than qualified as an air traffic controller.
While the biological assessment was removed by Congress in 2018, it still has already done its damage and rejected thousands of highly trained and qualified candidates.
Since investigations are currently happening, we cannot say for sure that the FAA's hiring practices may have caused either the staff shortages or the recent aviation-related crash.
However, the agency's ongoing lawsuits still raise concerns about its approach to diversity, inclusivity, and hiring standards. The outcome of the FAA lawsuits may greatly affect the future of aviation and the hiring policies in the United States.