Few federal agencies have undertaken as many star-crossed technology upgrades as the Federal Aviation Administration. Its latest overhaul — forthrightly called the “brand new air traffic control system” — needs to learn from those mistakes. The FAA manages some 80,000 flights a day. Its staffers have a remarkable record under pressure over the years. Yet cracks in the system have been widening for some time, and several recent incidents — including staffing breakdowns, communications outages and a deadly midair collision over Washington last year — suggest that a crisis is imminent. Air traffic control is at the heart of the problem. The number of FAA controllers has declined by about 6% since 2015, even as total flights have risen by about 10%. Several factors — including pandemic disruptions and government shutdowns — have delayed the training and hiring of new recruits, a process that can take six years. A 2023 inspector general report found deficient staffing at 77% of the agency’s critical facilities. Many controllers complain of stressful conditions, grueling sc