The basic problem, which reformers have been trying to remedy since the Clinton administration, is that the system is operated by a cumbersome federal bureaucracy—the same bureaucracy that’s also responsible for overseeing air safety. The FAA is supposed to be a watchdog, but we’ve put it in charge of watching itself.

First Buddy” Elon Musk announced in a Wednesday tweet that he will now turn his DOGE minions loose on the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control system to make “rapid safety upgrades.” On his X platform,