Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost radar after fiber optic line was cut
Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost their radar Friday after a fiber optic line was cut, but the outage didn't lead to disruptions like what happened after similar outages around the Newark, New Jersey, airport this spring.
Controllers were able to continue directing planes across five states in the Southeast because a backup system kicked in as designed. The Federal Aviation Administration said no flights were disrupted.
The FAA said the radar center in Jacksonville, Florida, continued operating but on alert status because its primary communication line went down. A contractor was working on repairing the severed fiber line Friday afternoon. Authorities didn't specify what caused the severed fiber line or where it happened.
The FAA didn't say exactly how long the radar was offline, but when air traffic controllers in a different facility in Philadelphia lost radar twice this spring it took 90 seconds for their systems to reboot after the system went down. Those incidents led to major disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey because five controllers went on trauma leave after those outages, and that facility in Philadelphia directs planes in and out of the airport.
Hundreds of flights had to be cancelled in Newark because the remaining controllers couldn't safely handle every flight on the schedule. Operations at that airport have since improved significantly
An FAA spokesperson said there was 'no loss of critical air traffic service' in Jacksonville because the backup system kicked in. That center is responsible for planes flying across roughly 160,000 square miles of airspace across most of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The problems in Newark were blamed on the failure of aging copper wires that much of the nation's air traffic control system still relies on. Transportation officials said the Newark problems demonstrated the need for a multi-million-dollar overhaul of the system that they are lobbying Congress to approve.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Teacher,' 'Companion': Grade 1 Winner Forbidden Apple Dies At 30
'Teacher,' 'Companion': Grade 1 Winner Forbidden Apple Dies At 30 originally appeared on Paulick Report. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) is deeply saddened to share the passing of Forbidden Apple, a cherished 30-year-old member of the TRF herd. Forbidden Apple was humanely euthanized on Monday, June 16, due to the infirmities of old age. Arriving at the TRF's Second Chances Program at Lowell Correctional Facility in Ocala, Florida on Aug. 2, 2013, Forbidden Apple spent the last 12 years of his life teaching, healing, and inspiring the incarcerated women of Lowell, who cared for him daily.A Grade 1 winner with lifetime earnings of $1.6 million, Forbidden Apple made 31 career starts, including three appearances in the prestigious Breeders' Cup Mile. Known for his brilliance on the turf, Forbidden Apple raced with heart and consistency, earning his place among racing's elite. His time after racing was just as important as his time on the track. At Lowell, Forbidden Apple, affectionately known as 'Apple,' quickly became a favorite among Second Chances Program students and staff. His gentle demeanor, playful nature, and deep love for treats and grooming brushes made him both a teacher and a companion to all who knew in all the right ways, Forbidden Apple enjoyed a peaceful retirement, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him every day. Whether trotting across the pasture or gently nosing a brush from a student's pocket, Forbidden Apple found a forever place in the hearts of everyone he Apple lived a long and meaningful life, filled with success, love, and sanctity. The TRF family is especially grateful for the years he spent at Lowell, gently guiding and teaching the women in our Second Chances Program, and being a steady, four-legged friend to all who knew him. To learn more about the TRF Second Chances Program or to support the care of horses like Forbidden Apple, please visit: TRF: Founded in 1983, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to dignified lifetime care for retired Thoroughbred racehorses. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their entire known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At seven correctional facilities across the country this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for inmates upon release from cares for approximately 400 rescued and retired Thoroughbreds at Second Chances prison farms and Sanctuary Farms across the country. The organization is funded entirely by private donations. The TRF is accredited by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and has a Platinum rating with Guide Star. For more information visit: This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost radar after fiber optic line was cut
Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost their radar Friday after a fiber optic line was cut, but the outage didn't lead to disruptions like what happened after similar outages around the Newark, New Jersey, airport this spring. Controllers were able to continue directing planes across five states in the Southeast because a backup system kicked in as designed. The Federal Aviation Administration said no flights were disrupted. The FAA said the radar center in Jacksonville, Florida, continued operating but on alert status because its primary communication line went down. A contractor was working on repairing the severed fiber line Friday afternoon. Authorities didn't specify what caused the severed fiber line or where it happened. The FAA didn't say exactly how long the radar was offline, but when air traffic controllers in a different facility in Philadelphia lost radar twice this spring it took 90 seconds for their systems to reboot after the system went down. Those incidents led to major disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey because five controllers went on trauma leave after those outages, and that facility in Philadelphia directs planes in and out of the airport. Hundreds of flights had to be cancelled in Newark because the remaining controllers couldn't safely handle every flight on the schedule. Operations at that airport have since improved significantly An FAA spokesperson said there was 'no loss of critical air traffic service' in Jacksonville because the backup system kicked in. That center is responsible for planes flying across roughly 160,000 square miles of airspace across most of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. The problems in Newark were blamed on the failure of aging copper wires that much of the nation's air traffic control system still relies on. Transportation officials said the Newark problems demonstrated the need for a multi-million-dollar overhaul of the system that they are lobbying Congress to approve.
Associated Press
11 hours ago
- Associated Press
Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost radar after fiber optic line was cut
Air traffic controllers in Florida briefly lost their radar Friday after a fiber optic line was cut, but the outage didn't appear to lead to significant disruptions like what happened after similar outages around the Newark, New Jersey, airport this spring. Controllers were able to continue directing planes across five states in the Southeast because a backup system kicked in as designed. The Federal Aviation Administration said the radar center in Jacksonville, Florida, continued operating but on alert status because its primary communication line went down. A contractor was working on repairing the severed fiber line Friday afternoon. Authorities didn't specify what caused the severed fiber line or where it happened. The FAA didn't say exactly how long the radar was offline, but when air traffic controllers in a different facility in Philadelphia lost radar twice this spring it took 90 seconds for their systems to reboot after the system went down. Those incidents led to major disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey because five controllers went on trauma leave after those outages, and that facility in Philadelphia directs planes in and out of the airport. Hundreds of flights had to be cancelled in Newark because the remaining controllers couldn't safely handle every flight on the schedule. Operations at that airport have since improved significantly An FAA spokesperson said there was 'no loss of critical air traffic service' in Jacksonville because the backup system kicked in. That center is responsible for planes flying across roughly 160,000 square miles of airspace across most of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. The problems in Newark were blamed on the failure of aging copper wires that much of the nation's air traffic control system still relies on. Transportation officials said the Newark problems demonstrated the need for a multi-million-dollar overhaul of the system that they are lobbying Congress to approve.
