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Mar 26, 2026 16 min

Is It Still Safe To Fly?

from Beerocracy!® Hosted by Emily Gross

It feels like every other week there's a near-miss or tragic accident involving airplanes — bringing fear and anxiety to the hundreds of millions who fly every year. The devastating LaGuardia Airport runway collision on March 22nd, where an Air Canada Express jet struck a fire truck on landing and killed both pilots, is only the latest example. So why is this keep happening? And are we actually seeing an increase? This week, I'm joined by Margaret Wallace, Assistant Professor of Air Traffic Control at the Florida Institute of Technology, to dive into the inadequate air traffic system at the heart of so many of these mishaps — from the chronic air traffic controller shortage leaving our busiest airports understaffed, to the outdated aviation technology, and what actually needs to be done to make flying feel safe again. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Aviation Safety Concerns 02:24 Understanding Air Traffic Control Shortages 04:50 The Challenges of Air Traffic Control Training 07:03 The Role of Technology in Aviation Safety 09:40 Current State of Aircraft Safety 12:07 Legislative Action for Aviation Improvements 14:14 Future of Air Traffic Control Hiring

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Is It Still Safe To Fly?

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This episode was published on March 26, 2026.

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