Former Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Scott Brenner expressed his belief that the air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport had sufficient resources to handle their duties during the recent midair collision. Brenner's statement came in response to a report from the FAA indicating that the staffing levels at the air control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) were not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic.
The report revealed that at the time of the crash, one air traffic controller was managing two positions simultaneously. Brenner acknowledged that controller staffing has been a longstanding issue, with efforts from Congress and the FAA to address it over the years. He emphasized that controllers are capable individuals who can adjust their workload if they feel overwhelmed, potentially slowing down traffic to manage the situation.
Brenner noted that at the time of the collision, there were three controllers, a supervisor, and a supervisor in training present in the tower. He defended the decision to assign dual duties to one controller, explaining that typically, one controller focuses solely on helicopters until traffic diminishes around 9:30 pm. Despite the staffing arrangement, Brenner stated that based on the information available to him, the controllers followed protocol and performed their duties as required.
