Elon Musk's Plans to 'Plug In' to ATC System Trigger Backlash

A team of men between the ages of 19 and 24 may make unspecified changes to the nation’s air traffic control system with President Donald Trump’s support.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, February 06, 2025 at 05:05 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) [Credit: Mark Stebnicki/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk plan to use a team of inexperienced engineers (DOGE) to rapidly overhaul the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system.
This initiative faces significant backlash from aviation stakeholders, unions, and government officials due to concerns about the team's inexperience, lack of expert involvement, and potential conflicts of interest with Musk.
The proposed overhaul occurs amidst a severely understaffed ATC system and recent fatal incidents, though the specific "safety upgrades" DOGE plans to implement remain undefined.

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Aviation and government stakeholders are challenging U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s plans for a team of inexperienced engineers to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system.

In separate posts on X, Duffy and Musk on Wednesday said the team running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—reported by Wired magazine to be six men between the ages of 19 and 24—would “plug in” to the ATC system and make “rapid safety upgrades.” DOGE is a temporary organization created by executive order shortly after President Donald Trump took office.