LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Lexington on Friday to announce the modernization of air traffic control at Blue Grass Airport, including plans to eventually replace the existing control tower.
Duffy said $17 million will be used to modernize the air traffic control system at Blue Grass Airport, with an additional $5.4 million going toward upgrading the air traffic control tower.
"We're building you a new system, and then we're going to deploy new software into that system," said Duffy.
The new technology is designed to help air traffic controllers better see the airspace they are managing, which Duffy said will lead to improved safety and efficiency for travelers flying in and out of Lexington.
"Giving you less delays, less cancellations, better performance of our airspace," he said.
Duffy said bad weather currently forces blanket shutdowns because it prevents air traffic controllers from physically seeing the space they are managing. He said the new technology will allow controllers to navigate around weather and keep air travel moving.
"We can navigate weather better with these systems and find safe pathways to fly and keep airplanes moving," Duffy said.
The transportation secretary said the new tools are designed to assist air traffic controllers, who remain in charge, with safety as the top priority.
The announcement comes as the country faces a significant shortage of air traffic controllers, which has impacted travel in recent years. To address the staffing gap, Duffy said the department is recruiting video gamers, citing the problem-solving, multitasking, and hand-eye coordination skills the hobby develops.
"You're doing multiple things at the same time. You're solving problems. There's hand-eye coordination. If you think about that, that's actually what an air traffic controller is doing," Duffy said.
Duffy said in less than 24 hours, the recruitment effort drew more than 12,000 applications from gamers.
