'Musk's 'Pointless Bloodbath' At FAA Is Clumsy, Reckless And Will Likely Get People Killed' [View all]

"If all the recent air disasters have you worried about flying, the actions that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Trump are taking at the Federal Aviation Administration probably won't make you feel any better...Last week, Musk and Trump fired hundreds of FAA employees, many of whom worked in vital safety roles."

"Among those fired were 'multiple lawyers whose job was to help prevent pilots with drug and alcohol problems from getting in the cockpit.'...He also fired Air Traffic control support staff who were doing actual important work. One fired staffer...worked to ensure 'flight paths account for hazards like cranes and new buildings,' while another 'ensured that pilots are medically able and cleared to fly.' Musk also got rid of 'several attorneys who work to ensure that licensed pilots in the United States aren't putting the broader public in danger or hiding criminal records, health concerns, or serious addictions.'"

"As important as it is to keep planes from crashing into cranes or new buildings and ensure pilots are sober, the fired lawyers do vital work and can't easily be replaced:"

"This work in the Aviation Litigation Division involves investigating flight schools that improperly or negligently train pilots; potentially suspending the licenses of private or commercial-airline pilots who get DUIs and other relevant criminal charges that would suggest it is unwise to allow them to fly planes full of passengers; dealing with commercial pilots if they're caught engaging in reckless or unsafe behavior, or lying about a drinking problem or an illicit drug dependency; and addressing reports that drone operators are breaking FAA rules and regulations."

"The terminated FAA staffer, who worked to medically certify pilots, similarly says their own firing came as a surprise given 'all the aviation crashes and things going on' — though they note that since Trump took office, "it's just been one sh*tstorm after the other.'"

https://www.jalopnik.com/1796503/elon-musk-doge-faa-employees-fired-implications/