Aviation crisis: RST tower less than half staff

ROCHESTER, Minn. – The air traffic control tower at the Rochester airport is operating with fewer than half the level authorized by federal rules. In an investigative report, television station KTTC reported there are 10 certified controllers. Twenty-one positions are authorized. The situation is somewhat eased by two additional workers in training. The two-runway international airport southwest of the city is a busy place. There are 56,000 operations a year, mostly general small aircraft. American and Delta dominate scheduled passenger service with 200,000 passengers a year, mostly to Minneapolis and Chicago hubs. The air controller staffing shortage is not unique to RST. Sean Duffy, the former Wisconsin congressman named by President Trump in January to head the U.S. Transportation Department, has acknowledged a serious shortage of controllers nationwide but says it’s being addressed. Duffy has announced “supercharged” hiring and training projects. The bottom-line question: How safe is U.S. aviation? KTTC couldn’t reach Duffy, but an agency spokesperson said: “If daily or per-shift staffing levels are low, the FAA ensures safety by implementing traffic management initiatives, such as slowing the flow of aircraft into an airport.”  Starting salaries for trainees are up 30%, the spokesperson said. The average certified professional controller earns$160,000 a year.