You may remember the near miss at ATL last year, where a DEI controller instructed a FedEx plane to land on top of a Southwest jet that was taking off from the same runway. They blamed that one on fog, which seems a little like saying “it was muh dark outside.” Although ground controllers do rely on visuals, which is why airports have towers.
The latest stunt occurred last Saturday at PHX, and you will be shocked by how obvious it was. This was between two aircraft on approach.
Sky Harbor has parallel east-west runways, with enough separation that two planes can land at the same time (on 08/26 and 07L/25R… the runway numbers correspond to the heading, with the trailing zero left off).
TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) onboard both aircraft saved the day. This system generates an “RA” (resolution advisory) instructing one aircraft to climb and the other to descend in order to avoid a mid-air.
I’m no expert, I just fly a lot, and have always been an airplane nerd. But I have two observations. First, the controller almost seems unaware of what just happened, and that she caused it. She was 20-30 seconds late issuing the left turn and landing clearance to the Delta. She never issues corrective action, and after both aircraft respond to their TCAS RAs, she asks them what they want to do next. Is that SOP? Second, the pilots seem as if all this is utterly routine, as in here we go again with these dopey DEI hires.
Thoughts?
https://www.azfamily.com/2025/01/14/close-call-delta-united-flights-nearly-collide-over-phoenix/
Even if controllers were more adept these incidents would continue to happen. Why? Because controllers are assigned more flights than they can handle safely. Why? Simply because there aren’t enough controllers. Why? Sadly because there aren’t enough people smart enough to become one.
Apply this to every job that requires dedication, skill, and intelligence. That’s the terrifying reality of our world.