Aviation leaders call for more funds for the FAA after this week's system failure

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/13/ [login to see] /aviation-leaders-call-for-better-faa-tech-funding-after-flight-computer-failure
In the wake of a crippling computer system failure this week, aviation industry leaders are calling on Congress and the White House to better support and fund the Federal Aviation Administration's efforts to modernize its outdated technology.

Aviation safety advocates and industry experts say there were warning signs long before Tuesday night's NOTAM system failure that led the FAA to impose about a 90-minute nationwide ground stop of all aircraft departures Wednesday morning, causing thousands of flight delays and cancellations that continued throughout the day.

NOTAMs, or Notices to Air Missions, are messages that alert pilots of potential hazards along their flight routes from the time they push back from the gate until they arrive at their destination.

"A NOTAM is is essentially a little message to a pilot to say, 'Hey, something is different about your flight today that you need to know about it,' " says Mark Zee, a former commercial airline pilot and air traffic controller who now lives in New Zealand.