Air traffic control 'flaw' could lead to plane collisions
A group of air traffic controllers have revealed a flaw in the air traffic system that could potentially cause multiple plane collisions.
The flaw, which could result in planes colliding, centres around the way in which air traffic controllers plan and revise flight paths.
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Some airlines have been laying out flight plans for planes only to come back and change them later, says the group at Detroit Metro Airport.
This has become an issue because no one is going in to remove the original flight path, they say.
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A report in the Detroit Free Press says: "The filing of multiple flight plans can lead to confusion... that, in turn, can lead to other issues including difficulty assuring that aircraft maintain a safe distance from each other."
An audit of the issue was ordered and a task force was set up to review the problems.
The audit revealed that instances of multiple flight plans have cropped up about twice a week in Detroit alone.
Between January and November of 2013, around 288 duplicate flight paths were filed.
A formal reporting process is now due be introduced to allow air traffic controllers to file a report when they come across more than one flight plan.
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