Elon Musk’s Plans to ‘Plug In’ to ATC System Trigger Backlash

In separate posts on X, Duffy and Musk on Wednesday said the team running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—reported by Wired magazine to be six men between the ages of 19 and 24—would “plug in” to the ATC system and make “rapid safety upgrades.” DOGE is a temporary organization created by executive order shortly after President Donald Trump took office.

“Hope your unvetted 22-year-olds fix things fast,” said former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a post on Thursday directed at Duffy.

Duffy in response said, “I’m returning this department to its mission of safety by using innovative technology in transportation and infrastructure…And yes, we’re bringing the 22-year-olds with us.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) told FLYING it would welcome any serious initiative to modernize the ATC system, but not without a seat at the table.

“It is critical that the experts who know and understand the intricacies and have detailed knowledge of the very complex system—the dedicated aviation safety professionals represented by NATCA—are involved in the process from design to testing and to implementation,” the union said in a statement.

At least one government official echoed that sentiment. On Thursday afternoon, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, shared a letter she wrote to Duffy raising questions about a conflict of interest with Musk. While Cantwell said she had agreed to work with Duffy to modernize FAA safety systems, Musk and DOGE were not part of that deal, the senator said.

“It is a conflict of interest for someone whose company is regulated by the federal government to be involved in anything that affects his personal financial interest, his company or his competitors,” Cantwell wrote. “We have ethics and recusal laws for a reason—to prevent corporate interference in protecting the public interest.”

Musk and DOGE have been given a mandate by Trump to find ways to reduce government spending, and it appears the FAA—an agency SpaceX has clashed with in the past—may be their next target. Musk last year vowed to sue the FAA over proposed fines against SpaceX and even went as far as calling for then-administrator Mike Whitaker’s resignation.

Ultimately, Whitaker stepped down on January 20, and the Trump administration swiftly issued a memorandum to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices at the FAA. After last week’s fatal midair collision between a passenger jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk—which killed all 67 passengers on both aircraft—Trump suggested DEI initiatives could be producing unqualified controllers, prompting the NATCA president Nick Daniels to refute the claim. Trump has ordered the FAA to review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made in the past four years.

Duffy and Musk did not elaborate on what kind of “safety upgrades” DOGE might make to the ATC system. Nor did the FAA, which directed FLYING to the Department of Transportation (DOT) when asked whether DOGE has communicated any specifics about the changes. The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Musk in his social media post did mention last week’s FAA Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) outage, which lasted a few hours and caused no major disruption to air travel. A NOTAM outage in 2023 was more significant, forcing the FAA to ground all U.S. flight departures.

While DOGE’s prerogative is unclear, the FAA could certainly benefit from any upgrade that helps it increase ATC staffing. The agency is about 3,000 controllers short of its target, and per a CBS News report, more than 90 percent of the nation’s control towers are understaffed. Tower staffing conditions were reportedly abnormal at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) at the time of last week’s collision. The FAA on Monday said it had 25 certified controllers at KCDA, short of its target of 28.

“Our air traffic controllers are the best. Full stop,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, in an X post on Tuesday. “They deserve our support, our investment in the best technology, [and] focus on increased staffing that will take many years because the qualifications and training are significant.”

Duffy last week said the FAA has resumed hiring for controllers and other staff following a previous moratorium on new federal employees. Safety-related FAA positions are not eligible for the early buyout being offered to other federal employees, Duffy clarified.

United Airlines declined to comment on the plans, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it would wait to see what comes of DOGE’s potential involvement before commenting. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines directed FLYING to Airlines for America, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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