President Donald Trump says he thinks last week’s deadly collision between a passenger jet and Army helicopter wouldn't have happened if the U.S. had a more modern air traffic control computer system.

The new secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, appeared to walk back an enticement to retire, saying F.A.A. safety workers were exempt from the offer for federal workers.

The FAA has said that all controllers have to meet tough testing and training standards and go through a lengthy certification process.

Just a day before a deadly midair collision at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., employees at the Federal Aviation Administration were sent an offer to resign with eight months’

Democrats previously hit out at the president's federal hiring freeze for hindering the "number one safety issue" in aviation.

Sean Duffy said that he’d spoken with Musk, calling him a “pretty remarkable guy” who has “access to the best technological people, the best engineers in the world.”

Hearing that just one air traffic controller was monitoring both planes and helicopters has left many to wonder how common such a situation is. Burke, 81, has filed a petition with the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the U.

The air traffic controllers union had asked for clarification on whether members were eligible for the federal buyout and only received confirmation from a report on CNN.