Air Traffic Control Issues Urgent Warning to Spirit Flight Amid Near-Miss with Air Force One

Breaking News: Air Traffic Control Warns Spirit Flight to Avoid Collision with Air Force One On Wednesday, a Spirit Airlines flight heading from Fort Lauderdale to Boston narrowly avoided a potential collision with Air Force One as it traveled from the US to the UK. An air traffic controller in the New York control center issued an urgent warning to the Spirit pilots, instructing them to execute an immediate right turn to avoid any possibility of colliding. Timeline: 23:15 UTC: The Spirit flight, identified as "Spirit 1300," was alerted by air traffic control to turn 20 degrees right. Multiple warnings were issued over a period of several minutes, with the controller growing increasingly frustrated due to the pilots' delayed response. At 23:18 UTC, the controller finally received an acknowledgement from the Spirit flight. Immediate Impact and Response: The Spirit flight successfully executed the right turn, avoiding any potential collision. Air traffic control officials praised the swift action of the air traffic controller in preventing a potentially catastrophic incident. The incident highlights the importance of effective communication between pilots and air traffic controllers to ensure safe air travel. Background Context: Air traffic control relies on advanced technology and human expertise to manage multiple aircraft at high altitudes. This incident underscores the critical role that air traffic controllers play in maintaining safety standards. According to industry experts, this type of situation is extremely rare due to the rigorous training and protocols in place for air traffic controllers. What Happens Next: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine whether any procedures or protocols were breached. The FAA will review communication records and interview both the Spirit pilots and the air traffic controller involved. As a precautionary measure, the FAA may also conduct additional training for air traffic controllers on effective communication techniques. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of human oversight in complex systems like air traffic control. By examining this near-miss, we can learn valuable lessons about how to improve safety standards and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. *This story is developing. Information compiled from Arstechnica reporting.*