Following recent aviation incidents, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has emphasized the need for modernizing the U.S. air traffic control system. In a recent social media post, Duffy highlighted the tragic January 29th crash involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight as a stark reminder of the necessity for improvements. He announced that SpaceX engineers, as part of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, are working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help achieve this goal.

A Department of Transportation spokesperson clarified to Reuters that these engineers are serving as special government employees and are being kept separate from the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation to prevent conflicts of interest. Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau informed FAA staff that the DOGE team would be visiting more FAA facilities following initial visits to the Air Traffic Control Command Center and Potomac TRACON in Virginia. Rocheleau emphasized the team's role in engineering solutions while maintaining airspace safety and efficiency, highlighting a mutual learning process between SpaceX and the FAA.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk with President Donald Trump (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Duffy explained to Fox News that the SpaceX engineers' initial role was observational, with the aim of developing a phased approach to system improvements. He stressed that the initiative is not limited to SpaceX, and that other experts will be invited to contribute. Duffy compared the current system to an outdated rotary phone in the age of cell phones, highlighting the need for modernization and investment in contemporary technology.

SpaceX headquarters (Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While Duffy's initiative has garnered support, it has also faced criticism, with some questioning the level of access granted to SpaceX. Duffy addressed these concerns and reiterated the administration's commitment to transparency and safety. He also countered claims about increased air crashes under the current administration, citing statistics comparing incident rates during the first month of both the Trump and Biden presidencies. Duffy emphasized the urgent need for infrastructure improvements to enhance aviation safety.

Air Traffic Control System Command Center (Pete Marovich For The Washington Post via Getty Images)