The radar screens at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey became black again early Friday.
The interruption occurred at 3:55 am and lasted about 90 seconds, said the Federal Aviation Administration.
Air traffic controllers were heard telling a Fedex plane that their screens darkened and then asked the aircraft to tell their company to press to solve the problem.
In another transmission, a controller told a private plane that arrived that the airport has just had a brief interruption of the radar and stayed at 3,000 feet or more in case the controllers could not contact during the descent of the aircraft.
FAA described it as “telecommunications interruption that impacted communications and radar exhibition in area C of Philadelphia Tracon C”, which is the installation that covers the airspace around Newark.
Last week, an interruption in Newark caused the ATC computer screens to darken for approximately 60 to 90 seconds and prevented the controllers from talking with airplanes during that time, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the incident. As a result, FAA briefly stopped all the exits to the airport.
After the interruption, several controllers were on a medical license, calling the experience a traumatic event. The controllers are entitled to at least 45 days of work and must be evaluated by a doctor before they can return to work.
The United Airlines station operations center at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on May 7, 2025.
Kena Betancur/AFP through Getty Images
The installation in Philadelphia, which covers Newark, already had the lack of air traffic controllers.
This increase in shortage caused mass delays and cancellations in Newark in the last two weeks.
On Thursday, the Department of Transportation announced plans for a new “state -of -the -art” air traffic control system to replace the “outdated” system, saying that security will improve and reduce delays.
The changes include exchange old telecommunications for “new fiber, wireless and satellite technologies”; “Installation of modern new hardware and software”; replacing 618 old radars; And building six new air traffic control centers and replacing Torres, said the Department of Transportation.
The Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, said he hopes the system will be built in the next three or four years.
Duffy was not at the price of a price, simply saying that it will cost “billions.” Duffy said he will request the total amount in advance of the Congress, which has previously indicated support on the calls to the modernization of ATC systems.
