Sun Jun 22 11:00:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Newark Air Traffic Controllers Grapple with Equipment Outages, Raising Safety Concerns**
**NEW YORK, NY** – Air traffic controllers at Newark Liberty International Airport have been dealing with concerning equipment malfunctions since at least 2023, according to a New York Times review of government documents. The previously unreported issues range from “phantom aircraft” appearing on radar screens to complete radio communication failures with pilots, painting a picture of a strained and potentially hazardous air traffic control system.
Controllers describe the situation as “plug and pray,” highlighting the anxiety caused by the unreliable technology. Instances include the malfunction of a weather-detection system designed to alert controllers to dangerous wind shear conditions, and a radio feed plagued by static that rendered the backup system useless.
These incidents preceded and followed a major outage on April 28th, which crippled both radar and radio communications, causing widespread flight delays, cancellations, and public frustration. The newly revealed glitches suggest a deeper systemic problem within the Philadelphia air traffic control tower, which manages much of Newark’s air traffic. The New York Times investigation raises questions about the safety and reliability of the technology currently in place and the potential impact on air travel in the region.
First Piper 