New York Air Route Traffic Control Center

The New York ARTCC was established on January 11, 1956, in Hangar 11 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.{{Cite book |last=McCartin |first=Joseph A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h19pAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA2 |title=Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike that Changed America |date=2011-10-06 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-983679-6 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Hudson |first=Edward |date=1963-07-21 |title=Air-Traffic Control Is Moved to Suffolk; AIR CENTER SHIFTS TO SUFFOLK SITE Serves All Traffic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/07/21/archives/airtraffic-control-is-moved-to-suffolk-air-center-shifts-to-suffolk.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In 1963, the New York ARTCC was moved into a new, purpose-built facility at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, in Suffolk County. It was the 19th standardized ARTCC building put into operation under the FAA's modernization program started in 1960.{{Cite book |url=https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/about/history/chronolog_history/b-chron.pdf |title=FAA HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY, 1926-1996 |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |access-date=2024-06-19}}

The new facility was commissioned on July 21, 1963, and it was formally dedicated early that September. It was designed to be able to withstand a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union and included the FAA's first real-time solid state computer used for air traffic control purposes; protection against a Soviet nuclear attack was, furthermore, one of the key reasons cited in favor of the facility's erection.{{Cite news |date=September 3, 1963 |title=Mac Arthur Opens Two-Day Tribute to LI Aviation |work=Newsday |pages=3M |via=ProQuest}}{{Cite web |date=1962-06-18 |title=Emporia Gazette Newspaper Archives, Jun 18, 1962, p. 6 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/emporia-gazette-jun-18-1962-p-6/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=NewspaperArchive.com |language=en}} The New York ARTCC facility was built at a cost of $15 million (1963 USD).{{Cite news |last=Crowe |first=Kenneth |date=September 9, 1963 |title=$15 -Million Air Center Dedicated |work=Newsday |pages=11 |via=ProQuest}}

In August 1981, many air traffic controllers picketed outside the New York ARTCC facility in support of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization labor union.{{Cite web |last=McCartin |first=Joseph A. |date=2021-08-05 |title=Reaching the End of the PATCO Era? |url=https://prospect.org/api/content/042c8c60-f55a-11eb-9f25-1244d5f7c7c6/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The American Prospect |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=2011-02-02 |title=Ronald Reagan's legacy |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/amp/ronald-reagans-legacy-41391940 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=NBC News |language=en}} The protests were in response to Ronald Reagan's efforts in killing the PATCO labor union.

In 1999, the facility underwent an extensive modernization project.{{Cite web |last=Gearty |first=Robert |date=1999-10-07 |title=AIR TRAFFIC SITE GETS UPGRADED |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/1999/10/07/air-traffic-site-gets-upgraded/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=New York Daily News |language=en-US}} As part of the project, many of the facility's electronic & technological components – including display screens and computers, were replaced with more modern and efficient ones.

On March 17, 2001, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed closing & merging the existing New York Air Route Traffic Control Center and New York TRACON offices, moving them into a new, consolidated Long Island facility; these plans never went forward.{{Cite web |last=Ruud |first=Candice |date=2014-05-17 |title=Long Island to keep close to 1,000 aviation jobs, Charles Schumer says |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/long-island-to-keep-close-to-1-000-aviation-jobs-charles-schumer-says-f76917 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Newsday |language=en}} Similar discussions continued over the years, with proposals for a new "New York Integrated Control Facility" being built within 150 miles of New York City – but in 2014, these plans, too, were ultimately called off.{{Cite web |last=Rudd |first=Candice |date=2014-02-24 |title=FAA air traffic control tower site still up in the air |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/faa-air-traffic-control-tower-site-still-up-in-the-air-r24455 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Newsday |language=en}}

Controllers at New York Center made direct communications with American Flight 11 and United Flight 175 on September 11, 2001, following the transfer of communications to ZNY from Boston Center.{{Cite book |last=Spencer |first=Lynn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HlFXrXcq9X4C&pg=PA36 |title=Touching History: The Untold Story of the Drama That Unfolded in the Skies Over America on 9/11 |date=2008-06-03 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-4165-7946-5 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=ATC on 9/11: 'The Single Greatest Feat in All of ATC History' |url=https://www.natca.org/community/awards/atc-on-9-11-the-single-greatest-feat-in-all-of-atc-history/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=NATCA |language=en-US}}{{cite web |title=Staff Report – "We Have Some Planes": The Four Flights – a Chronology |url=https://www.archives.gov/research/9-11/staff-report.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812073107/http://www.archives.gov/research/9-11/staff-report.pdf |archive-date=August 12, 2011 |access-date=September 6, 2011 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States}}{{Cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Andrew Mark |last2=Papa |first2=Ashley |date=2022-09-05 |title=NYC air traffic controller recalls his experience working on 9/11: 'Completely aghast' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-air-traffic-controller-recalls-experience-working-9-11-completely-aghast |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}} Several New York Center controllers who were on duty at the time of the hijackings aided the investigators and provided officials with their accounts of what went on during the events and what they heard through the air traffic communications. New York Center also helped the United States Military during the attacks.{{Cite web |last=Braxton |first=Peter |date=2021-09-09 |title=A Military Pilot's Look Back at 9/11 |url=https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/september-2021/a-military-pilots-look-back-at-9-11/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Chicago Magazine |language=en-US}}

In 2011, a scandal was uncovered, in which it was revealed that several controllers at New York ARTCC were distracted and not doing their jobs while on duty, and that many of the facility's officials were aware of the problem but chose not to do anything about it, despite the behavior nearly causing collisions of large commercial aircraft.{{Cite web |last=Algar |first=Selim |date=2012-05-14 |title=Err-traffic control |url=https://nypost.com/2012/05/14/err-traffic-control/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Brad |date=2011-02-06 |title=Flight trackers 'dogging it' at key LI post |url=https://nypost.com/2011/02/06/flight-trackers-dogging-it-at-key-li-post/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}} Some workers had previously tried to rectify the issue but were threatened by some of their supervisors and other colleagues at the facility. This led to officials in Washington getting involved, and the management was subsequently overhauled.

In March 2020, New York Center temporarily closed after a controller tested positive for COVID-19.{{Cite news |last=Laris |first=Michael |date=2020-03-22 |title=FAA says 11 air traffic facilities affected by coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/21/beyond-lack-masks-coronavirus-tests-faa-says-its-short-cleaning-supplies/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last=Connelly |first=Eileen AJ |date=2020-03-21 |title=Air traffic controller with coronavirus forces NYC-area flight stoppage |url=https://nypost.com/2020/03/21/air-traffic-controller-with-coronavirus-forces-brief-flight-stoppage-at-nyc-airports/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-03-23 |title=11 air traffic control centers have been temporarily closed after workers tested positive for coronavirus, highlighting a vulnerability in air travel |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/slideshows/miscellaneous/11-air-traffic-control-centers-have-been-temporarily-closed-after-workers-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-highlighting-a-vulnerability-in-air-travel/slidelist/74783862.cms |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Business Insider |language=en}} The closure caused severe air traffic disruptions across the region, and resulted in all flights to and from the New York and Philadelphia area airports to be temporarily halted.

In the early 2020s, following COVID-19, New York Center was experiencing staffing shortages, leading to temporary limits on the number of flights able to operate within the airspace and leading to occasional delays & ground halts.{{Cite web |last1=Wallace |first1=Greg |last2=Muntean |first2=Pete |date=2021-06-11 |title=FAA's new cleaning methods at air traffic towers aim to curb flight delays |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/11/business/faa-cleaning-air-traffic/index.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Muntean |first1=Pete |last2=Hunter |first2=Marnie |date=2022-08-15 |title=FAA cancels New York ground delays triggered by staffing issues |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/faa-staff-shortages-flight-delays/index.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McNicholas |first=Tim |date=2023-06-23 |title=CBS2 Investigates: Shortage of air traffic controllers hitting New York especially hard, FAA staffing audit released |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/cbs2-investigates-shortage-of-air-traffic-controllers-hitting-new-york-especially-hard/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CBS New York |language=en-US}}

In 2004, New York ARTCC came under federal scrutiny after it was discovered that a tape made by air traffic controllers at the facility following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 was intentionally destroyed several months after it was made.{{Cite news |last=Wald |first=Matthew L. |date=2004-05-06 |title=F.A.A. Official Scrapped Tape of 9/11 Controllers' Statements |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/06/national/faa-official-scrapped-tape-of-911-controllers-statements.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Wald |first=Matthew L. |date=2004-05-07 |title=Tape of Air Traffic Controllers Made on 9/11 Was Destroyed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/07/us/tape-of-air-traffic-controllers-made-on-9-11-was-destroyed.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Frank |first=Thomas |date=2004-05-07 |title=Recording of air controllers in 9/11 attacks was trashed |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/05/07/recording-of-air-controllers-in-911-attacks-was-trashed/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} Several controllers at the facility – including controllers who were directly dealing with two of the hijacked planes – made the recording in the facility's basement starting just before noon on September 11, 2001, in order to document and recall the events and their accounts of the events which had just unfolded; each controller spoke on the tape for between five and ten minutes. While a union agreement was reached, in which the tape would be destroyed after the controllers would provide the information through written statements, a quality assurance manager for the facility hand-destroyed the tape a few months after its creation, before a written transcript of the tape could be produced and before anyone could listen to it – and the officials at New York Center never told higher-up FAA officials of the tape recording's existence.

• [https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/air_traffic_services/artcc/newyork New York Air Route Traffic Control Center] (FAA)

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Category:Ronkonkoma, New York

Category:Air traffic control centers

Category:Long Island MacArthur Airport

Category:Buildings and structures in Suffolk County, New York

Category:Transportation on Long Island

Category:Aviation in New York (state)

Category:Federal Aviation Administration

Category:Air traffic control in the United States

Category:1956 establishments in New York (state)