Elon Musk ethics outcry skyrockets with offer to ‘plug into’ FAA – Washington Examiner
The article discusses the ethical concerns surrounding Elon Musk’s potential involvement in reforming the U.S. aviation system, specifically regarding his role in working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Critics, including Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), argue that Musk’s association with SpaceX presents a clear conflict of interest, especially given past issues with FAA regulations and penalties against SpaceX. following a recent deadly aviation accident, Cantwell has urged Transportation secretary Sean Duffy to prevent Musk from participating in air traffic control reforms.
Musk has expressed his intention to enhance the safety and efficiency of the air traffic control system,which many perceive as outdated. While some lawmakers, like sen.Ted Cruz (R-TX), support Musk’s involvement, citing his technological expertise, others remain skeptical about the appropriateness of his role, given SpaceX’s regulatory history.
Transportation Secretary Duffy has been in discussions with Musk,highlighting the need for rapid improvements in airspace management. In contrast to the ongoing support from some political figures,there are growing calls for scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of the FAA’s processes.
Elon Musk ethics outcry skyrockets with offer to ‘plug into’ FAA
Elon Musk and the Department of Transportation’s plan to “remake” U.S. airspace with rapid safety upgrades has raised new concerns that the billionaire’s involvement poses a “clear conflict of interest,” given his position at SpaceX.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the ranking member of the Commerce Committee sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asking him to bar Musk from any effort to reform air traffic control.
The FAA oversees airspace for both commercial planes and rockets and Musk’s interest in reforming the agency comes days after the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in more than 20 years.
“It’s a clear conflict of interest, and Secretary Duffy should make sure that Mr. Musk is not part of the FAA air transportation system. He has been fined for violations,” Cantwell said, speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon.
Cantwell referenced the Federal Aviation Administration’s actions last September in which the agency proposed $633,000 in civil penalties against SpaceX over “allegedly failing to follow its license requirements during two launches in 2023.”
In response to the proposed fines, Musk threatened to sue the FAA for “regulatory overreach” and then publicly urged former FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker to resign.
“He worked hard to try to get Mr. Whitaker, somebody who was approved 98 to zero, I think, out of the system, and it’s a clear conflict of interest,” Cantwell said, adding that she welcomes any effort to boost the air traffic control workforce.
“What we don’t welcome is a man who’s regulated by this sector and who has had fines for violation of safety … trying to control the airspace,” she added.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) also sent Musk a letter last week questioning his role in Whitaker’s resignation. Whitaker stepped down on Jan. 20, the day of Trump’s inauguration. A day after the mid-air collision near DCA that killed 67 people, Trump appointed Christopher Rocheleau as acting head of FAA.
In addition Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC), members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, penned a letter to acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro, asking her to “ensure the integrity of NASA’s secure systems, including any classified data managed or accessed by the agency, is being preserved.”
The letter noted that NASA has awarded SpaceX more than $2 billion in contracts and that the agency also has proprietary information on competitors of SpaceX. The congresswomen said they plan to monitor for conflicts of interest and asked Petro whether any staff from DOGE had gained access to information from NASA.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier in the week he has spoken with Musk, who leads President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting group DOGE in the wake of the tragic accident last week.
“We’re going to remake our airspace, and we’re going to do it quickly,” Duffy said, speaking before a conference of state DOT officials on Wednesday. “I think right now, to say, you know what, we’re using like 1960’s, World War II technology in much of the components of the airspace. We’re gonna upgrade it.”
Duffy called Musk a “pretty remarkable guy” who has “access to the best technological people, the best engineers in the world.” He later wrote in a post on X that DOGE plans to “plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.”
Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 5, 2025
Musk replied on the platform writing, “With the support of President @realDonaldTrump, the @DOGE team will aim to make rapid safety upgrades to the air traffic control system.”
Details about what role Musk and lieutenants might play in upgrading or reforming the air traffic control system are still unclear. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) responded to the news of Musk’s involvement in reforming the FAA with enthusiasm.
“I think that’s actually tremendously important. I’ve been advocating for a long time the modernization of air traffic control, our air traffic control technology is from the 1950s, we are literally using radar and strips of paper and floppy disks,” Cruz said, speaking to reporters on Thursday.
“The fact that Elon Musk, one of the top technology CEOs on planet Earth is available to bring his expertise and the expertise of world-class engineers to bring air traffic control out of the 1950s and into the 21st century, I think that is a real opportunity,” he added.
Trump on Thursday called for Congress to pass legislation for a new air traffic control system, suggesting private “specialist” companies should brought in to build a fresh computer system for the control towers. Trump initially railed against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at the FAA as a factor in the crash but has since cited obsolete equipment, understaffing, and the helicopter flying too high.
Senators on the Commerce Committee are still learning more about the Jan. 29 commercial jet collision with a military helicopter over the Potomac River. Investigators are in the early stages of their inquiry, but after a briefing from the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA on Thursday, they learned a key safety system was turned off in the U.S. Army helicopter.
Cruz told reporters the helicopter had its automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast turned off, which is an advanced surveillance technology to track aircraft location, however he did note the helicopter was equipped with a transponder so it would appear on radar.
“It was a training mission so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off,” Cruz said.
Despite some early reports that staffing levels at the control tower at Reagan Airport were “not normal” at the time of the crash, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) said lawmakers received a different message during their briefing.
“We were assured that the personnel at the tower was consistent with normal practices. And there wasn’t something missing that night in staffing of the tower,” Moran said, speaking to reporters.
However, Moran stressed that further investment will be necessary in the future to prevent another tragic accident.
“We must be willing to spend the money necessary to make air travel absolutely as safe as it needs to be,” he said.
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