The horrific mid-air collision Wednesday evening between a regional jet operated by American Airlines and a Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport shocked the nation. In an era where air travel has seemingly never been safer, the investigation is revealing new information, prompting new questions about what caused the collision. While many factors may have contributed to the disaster, one of the biggest questions will be whether any of these factors could have been prevented. One of those factors may lie in a years-old Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive.
Among some of the questions being raised about the crash is how much of a role, if any, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices play among Air Traffic Controllers. The answer might be found in a piece from exactly one year ago in the Washington Times and tweeted out Thursday night by Elon Musk. It recounts a document issued by the FAA in 2013 under the Obama administration. The document entitled “Controller Hiring by the Numbers” asked this question, “How much of a change in job performance is acceptable to achieve what diversity goals?” Um…how bout zero?