The Office of Inspector General announced Wednesday that it plans to audit the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) contingency plans and security protocols at Chicago air traffic control facilities.
Two serious incidents in recent months have burdened travelers going to and from the state of Illinois.
On Sept. 27, a contractor intentionally set fire to a suburban Chicago air traffic control center. Brian Howard, 36, of Naperville, Illinois, was charged with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities that delayed roughly 2,000 flights, The Associated Press reported.
The FAA also reported delays at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport due to problems with a control centers’ phone lines on Oct. 6.
OIG said on its website that it plans to “assess whether FAA has developed and implemented a business continuity plan for the Chicago air traffic control facilities that provides for adequate levels of redundancy and resiliency,” and to “evaluate whether the security measures in place at the Chicago facilities are currently maintained and sufficient to mitigate potential risks to the air traffic control system.”
The audit was requested by six members of Congress, The Department of Transportation said.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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