FAA launched new AI ‘SMART’ tool to all air route traffic control centers just days before nationwide ground stop

First reported by Gizmodo at Thu 7:12 PM · 20 outlets in all

1. New York Times(subscription required)2hWhat to Know About Friday’s Nationwide Ground StopThe air traffic control system’s overloaded, antiquated telecommunications equipment sustained its latest widespread failure, prompting a call for more money to fuel faster upgrades.
2. CNN3hNationwide ground stop lifted. So, now what?
3. Forbes5hNationwide Ground Stop At Airports Lifted, FAA SaysTransportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop was ordered following a "communication issue” impacting all air traffic control centers.
4. The Atlantic(subscription required)5hScenes From the Nationwide Ground StopSome 1.5 million people experienced travel disruption on Friday.
5. The Hill5hAirspace reopened after nationwide ground stopThe nationwide ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration Friday afternoon has been lifted, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed. “At 8:15 tonight Eastern Time, we’ve opened up the airspace,” Duffy said to reporters in the White House briefing room during a press conference that began at around 8:30 p.m. EST. Duffy added that, although…
6. Washington Examiner5hFAA lifts nationwide ground stop following historic halt on all air travelThe Federal Aviation Administration has lifted a nationwide ground stop on all flights Friday evening following an hourslong halt on air travel that left millions of airline passengers stranded. The ground stop was lifted shortly after 8 p.m. EST, just before Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stepped out to brief
7. Wired(subscription required)6hThe FAA Nationwide Ground Stop Is OverThe five-hour ordeal ended Friday evening. Planes will be allowed to fly again, but the effects of the stoppage will be felt throughout the weekend.
8. Yahoo News6hFAA says nationwide ground stop is over after thousands of flights cancelled
9. Mashable6hFAA nationwide ground stop: Why it happened, according to officialsCommunication outage cause by outdated systems and network updates, not the FAA's new SMART AI tool.
10. Yahoo Sports6hTexas football stuck in Austin after FAA nationwide ground stopTexas football has one ranked opponent remaining on its schedule, but there is no telling when the team will arrive for that matchup. The Longhorns boarded the airplane for their trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Friday afternoon, but because of a nationwide ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, they are stuck in Austin for the
11. Scientific American(subscription required)7hFAA grounds all U.S. flights days after expanding its AI air traffic systemNational ground stops of this kind are exceedingly rare
12. Ars Technica8hFAA has lifted its third-ever nationwide ground stopSecretary of Transportation Sean Duffy blamed obsolete equipment for the outage.
13. NY Post9hFAA launched new AI ‘SMART’ tool to all air route traffic control centers just days before nationwide ground stopA new AI-supported air traffic system was rolled out to all of FAA’s control centers three days before an extremely rare ground stop halted planes across the US Friday, according to the agency.
14. The Register9hAll US flights grounded by FAASafety reasons and unspecified communications issue cited
15. NPR9hWhat we know about the FAA nationwide ground stopThe Federal Aviation Administration took an extraordinary step Friday afternoon by issuing a nationwide ground stop. No planes are taking off at any airport and millions of passengers are stranded.
16. AP9hFAA grounds all flights across the U.S. due to air traffic control communications problems
17. PBS NewsHour10hFAA grounds all flights at U.S. airports due to air traffic control communications problemsThe nation's top homeland security official attributed the problem to a telecommunications outage and said there was no indication yet of a nefarious act.
18. Techmeme10hThe FAA lifts its over four-hour nationwide ground stop for US airports caused by "communication issues affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers" (Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios)
19. Hacker News10hFAA ends hours-long nationwide ground stopThe FAA lifted its nationwide ground stop Friday night after hours of chaos and thousands of delays and cancellations.Why it matters: The effects of the rare and extreme move will likely ripple through the weekend, with travelers stranded and airlines' planes and crews out of position.Driving the news: In a Friday evening press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop was issued after outdated air traffic control communications equipment suffered from "overloaded data, and they went down."Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin added that officials are looking…
20. Gizmodo30hThe FAA Is Rolling Out Its AI Air Traffic Tool NationwideThe FAA has reassured the public and airlines that SMART only suggests routes and doesn't affect air safety.