cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/26131439
Summary
The FAA is reportedly set to cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon to modernize air traffic control communications and instead award it to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Musk has publicly criticized Verizon’s system as failing, though without evidence. SpaceX employees have been embedded within the FAA, and some now have agency email addresses.
The move raises concerns about favoritism and conflicts of interest, especially as Musk’s companies have received $38 billion in government funding.
The contract transfer has not followed standard procedures, prompting resistance from senior FAA officials.
I absolutely hated flying the last few times I had to, and those were in 2014, 2018, and 2021 respectively. I guess I’m just not getting on a plane ever again.
The alternative is going to be driving on neglected highways that will destroy your vehicle or taking toll roads. Traveling across America is about to become a lot less safe and a lot more inconvenient. I wonder how passenger railways are doing?
I can take a train to LA, and from LA Chicago, at that point I just have to rent a car and drive a few hours. I’ll be fine with my EV and E-bike.
That being said, passenger rail sucks in flyover country. It is kinda decent near the eastern seaboard.
Have i already taken my last flight? I hate the process even when it’s ostensibly safe! Are airlines even on board with this? This is the industry that recently had the power to shorten covid sick time with a phone call…
A bloke who has $400b needs more billions
I don’t understand how the American people are just letting this happen in plain sight.
Kind of curious how large of a law suit Verizon could throw at Starlink.
Not big enough to scare the richest man on Earth with the ear of the most powerful man in America.
We don’t have a choice.
Aren’t y’all like super fucking proud of the 2nd amendment? This is EXACTLY what the slave owners that founded the country had in mind. At least I thought so, I’m not a Yank
I guess some might, I personally think being able to own anything other than a pistol is stupid. To the Americans who think we can overturn our government, they’re delusional.
Lmao these shameless fucks
Can’t fucking wait for planes to be coordinated solely by unsupervised AI. :(
So to take down an airport now, it just takes a group of people to show up with Starlinks and start torrenting at the gate…
No this can’t be self dealing. He said he’d recuse himself if it was a conflict of interest!
Bahahahahaha, Replicans are to embarrassed to be wrong they aren’t going to say or do a damn thing.
