Radar screens used by air traffic controllers directing planes over New England and upstate New York go blank or freeze almost daily, union officials told The Boston Globe in a story published Thursday.
This has been happening since April because the computer system, which was installed in 1972, often fails, and more certified technicians are needed to repair the system and keep it operating, the officials said."The system is falling apart," said William Johannes, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's chapter that represents controllers at the Boston Center, which is in Nashua, N.H.
The outages last from 12 seconds to 2 1/2 hours, Johannes said.