Delta-Bomber Incident Highlights Gaps at Small Airports

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Delta-Bomber Incident Highlights Gaps at Small Airports \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A Delta pilot’s evasive action to avoid a B-52 bomber near Minot has renewed focus on safety risks at small airports. Critics highlight the lack of radar and reliance on privately run towers with limited oversight. The FAA faces pressure to expand radar coverage and hire more controllers.

Quick Looks

Delta Flight 3788 narrowly avoided a B-52 bomber during descent near Minot, North Dakota.
Pilot’s sharp dive and turn startled passengers, with the maneuver caught on video.
Minot tower, run by a private company, reportedly failed to warn either pilot.
Neither aircraft was aware of the other’s presence until the last moment.
Minot airport lacks its own radar system, relying on visual guidance and distant FAA radar.
FAA’s Contract Tower Program covers 265 small airports, many without direct radar access.
Only about 10% of U.S. public airports have control towers, most operate uncontrolled.
Air traffic controller shortages nationwide are affecting both public and private towers.
FAA modernization plans could bring radar to more small airports, but funding is uncertain.
President Trump’s proposed budget includes $12.5 billion for air traffic control upgrades.

Deep Look

A near-collision between a Delta Air Lines jet and a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber over North Dakota has intensified scrutiny of aviation safety practices at smaller regional airports, many of which lack radar systems and rely on contract tower operators. The incident, which unfolded near Minot International Airport, underscores long-standing concerns about how limited infrastructure and a shortage of air traffic controllers could endanger pilots and passengers alike.

The dramatic moment occurred last Friday as Delta Flight 3788, operated by SkyWest, was preparing to land shortly after a B-52 performed a ceremonial flyover at the North Dakota State Fair. According to passengers and video footage from inside the aircraft, the pilot executed an unexpected sharp dive and turn, narrowly avoiding the bomber.

“Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise,” the pilot told passengers afterward. “This is not normal at all. I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads-up.”

The Air Force later confirmed that the controller at Minot’s tower failed to notify the bomber’s crew about the approaching Delta flight. Meanwhile, the pilot of the B-52 also appeared to be unaware of the airliner’s presence.

While no one was hurt, the incident has reignited debate over how small airports operate, particularly those managed under the FAA’s Contract Tower Program, which outsources air traffic control to private firms.

Like many regional airports, Minot International does not have its own radar system, relying instead on visual tracking and communication with inbound aircraft using binoculars and radio. These methods generally work well during clear weather, but they leave room for error, especially in congested airspace or during special operations like flyovers.

“When everything’s working, it’s fine,” said Jeff Guzzetti, a former crash investigator for both the FAA and NTSB. “But if something unexpected happens—like a military flyover near a commercial arrival—things can go wrong quickly.”

While regional FAA radar facilities, such as one in Minneapolis, help monitor airspace near Minot, they’re often too distant to provide precise data on planes flying low or close together near the airport. Some towers receive a video feed from nearby FAA radar screens, but it’s unclear whether Midwest Air Traffic Control, the private firm running Minot’s tower, uses such a system. The company has not commented since the incident.

How the Contract Tower Program Works

Minot is one of 265 U.S. airports that use private companies to staff air traffic control towers under the FAA’s contract system, which began in 1982 after the nationwide air traffic controller strike. While cost-effective, the system depends on limited resources and smaller teams, especially when compared to FAA-run towers.

According to the Transportation Department’s Inspector General, contract towers handle more than a quarter of all U.S. flights and maintain safety records comparable to those of larger towers. Still, the absence of radar and lower staffing levels can create vulnerabilities, especially during busy times or special events.

“These contract towers are the reason many regional airports even have controllers,” said Guzzetti. “Without them, pilots would be managing traffic entirely on their own.”

Indeed, at more than 90% of the 5,100 public airports in the U.S., there are no towers at all, and pilots must communicate directly with one another over radio. While this works in low-traffic zones, it can’t replace a trained controller’s ability to coordinate simultaneous arrivals and departures—especially with military aircraft in the mix.

National Staffing Crisis for Air Traffic Controllers

Compounding the problem is a chronic shortage of air traffic controllers. The FAA currently estimates it is short about 3,000 certified controllers, and the contract tower system—which draws from the same candidate pool—is similarly stretched thin.

Private tower operators are allowed to hire retired FAA controllers, who are exempt from the federal mandatory retirement age of 56, helping to ease shortages. However, the overall pipeline of new controllers has been slow to grow due to the long, rigorous training process and difficulty in recruiting qualified candidates.

To address the crisis, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has introduced several reforms, including expediting admissions to the FAA’s academy in Oklahoma City, increasing student support to improve graduation rates, and offering bonuses to experienced controllers to delay retirement.

But despite these efforts, controller shortages remain a bottleneck—especially at airports like Minot, where a single lapse can quickly escalate into a high-risk situation.

Modernization Plans in Limbo

Experts say that one long-term solution lies in the broader modernization of the national air traffic control system, which includes expanding radar coverage and updating tower technology at smaller airports. However, progress hinges on funding.

President Donald Trump’s 2025 federal budget proposal includes $12.5 billion for aviation modernization, some of which could support upgrades at contract tower airports. But which airports receive new radar systems will depend on air traffic volume, political will, and congressional approval.

“Radar isn’t cheap,” Guzzetti noted. “But it’s far less expensive than losing lives to avoidable midair collisions.”

A Close Call That Raises Urgent Questions

The near-miss over Minot wasn’t the first high-profile aviation scare in recent months. In January, a midair collision near Washington, D.C., killed 67 people, raising similar concerns about communication breakdowns and infrastructure gaps.

This latest incident has once again raised the question: Are U.S. skies still safe, especially around the nation’s smaller airports?

While officials continue to investigate what went wrong in North Dakota, aviation experts and safety advocates are urging swift action—to expand radar coverage, strengthen oversight of contract towers, and most urgently, hire more trained air traffic controllers before the next close call becomes a tragedy.