Richmond airport defies U.S. air traffic controller shortage
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Richmond's airport has one of the lowest vacancy rates in the country for air traffic controllers, per recent Federal Aviation Administration data.
Why it matters: There's been a heightened focus on tower staffing after back-to-back plane crashes in recent weeks — the latest being a Delta plane flipping upside down on Monday while landing.
The big picture: The chances of dying from commercial air travel are 1 in 13.7 million, according to MIT researchers, which makes flying one of the safest ways to travel.
- But a lot of people are unnerved by the headlines.
- And since air traffic controllers are critical in preventing collisions, the fact that there's a nationwide staffing shortage potentially leading to overworked controllers may not be helping those fears.
Zoom in: The average vacancy rate for controller positions in the U.S. is about 24%, according to goals set by the FAA and the controllers' union.
- The average for Virginia's 8 control towers is just under 13%. Richmond has a 6% vacancy rate and needs one more controller to reach its goal of 15 controllers.
- The lowest rates statewide are in Manassas (0%) and Reagan National in NoVa (3%).
Between the lines: Reagan also has the busiest runway in the U.S., in one of the nation's most-protected airspaces.
- But a New York Times review of a preliminary FAA safety report from January's crash noted air traffic control staffing was "not normal."
What we're watching: Whether shaken public confidence in flying will impact ticket sales.