Would-be air traffic controller ‘denied job over diversity’ says DC crash was ‘inevitable’ after Trump blamed equality
A WOULD-BE air traffic controller who claimed he was denied a job due to diversity policies has branded the tragic Washington DC crash “inevitable”.
Andrew Brigida, 35, echoed Donald Trump as he blamed equality measures for the crash that killed 67 people on Wednesday night.
Brigida is part of a class action lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration claiming it did not hire people like him because they didn’t match the correct “biographical profile”.
The aspiring air traffic controller claimed he scored 100 per cent in his training exam but this was supposedly not enough to secure a job.
Brigida alleged he failed a biographical questionnaire because he “didn’t fit the preferred ethnic profile”, according to The Telegraph.
The former air traffic controller candidate claimed years of diversity hiring programs at the FAA contributed to this tragedy.
Brigida – who graduated from Arizona State University in 2013 – said he was on a preferred candidate list for the aviation role until something changed during the Obama administration.
In a supposed attempt to attract more diverse candidates, the FAA replaced their skills-based test with the controversial biographical questionnaire.
Brigida claimed his dreams of becoming an air traffic controller were quashed with the newer application system.
“You want to hire the best and the brightest for this kind of job because it is a very stressful job and it can take a toll on you, age you prematurely,” he told The Telegraph.
“You want to make sure that the people that are doing it are the best.”
Brigida claimed a similar crash had not happened in the past due to luck.
“There have been plenty of stories of near miss events that have been the cause of staffing issues,” he added.
“It’s surprising that it’s gone on this long without being properly recognised by the government.”
POINTING FINGERS
Brigida’s rant mirrored Trump’s furious tirade at equality polices on Thursday.
The commander-in-chief confirmed all 67 people died after the American Airlines jet and Army helicopter collided midair and plunged into the Potomac River.
The doomed passenger flight was just 20 minutes away from landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Trump hit out at the Federal Aviation Administration, criticizing what he said are rules on who can work in air traffic control and government diversity efforts.
“The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency’s website,” Trump alleged.
“We have to have our smartest people… They have to be naturally talented geniuses.”
Similarly to Brigida, Trump also hit out at Barack Obama.
The President claimed Obama and Joe Biden weakened safety regulations and said former presidents were responsible for the agency’s alleged bad hiring.
Trump has not yet confirmed what caused the shocking and tragic crash – which is now America’s deadliest in 24 years.
“We do not know what led to this crash but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” he said on Wednesday.
President Trump addresses a mourning nation
By Georgie English, Foreign News Reporter
PRESIDENT Donald Trump started his White House address to the nation with a moments silence to honor those who died in the American Airlines crash.
Trump labelled the aviation accident a “real tragedy” as he said America is now going through an “hour or anguish”.
Following on from comments from officials at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier today, Trump said he believes there are no survivors.
“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions,” the new president added.
“As one nation we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly.”
Trump then started to hit out at the two former leaders of the US and his Democratic rivals Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
He said: “I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first.”
Trump vowed to restore “the highest standard of air traffic” and said the US will only hire the “smartest and the brightest” going forwards.
He went on to blast the Federal Aviation Administration’s rules on who can work in air traffic control and government diversity efforts.
A reporter then asked if he was blaming part of the crash on diversity hires with Trump replying by saying he is just using “common sense”.
Speaking on the crash directly, Trump claimed the plane’s pilot did “everything right” and followed a route taken by pilots for decades.
He appeared to place some of the blame on the military helicopter saying it was going at an angle that was “unbelievably bad”.
But confirmed investigations are ongoing.