Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into a terrifying near-miss between a United Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter over California. The incident, which could have ended in catastrophe, lays bare the reckless incompetence of a system that prioritizes military and corporate interests over public safety. **A System Designed for Disaster** Details remain scarce, but early reports confirm the United jet and the Army helicopter came dangerously close to colliding mid-air. The FAA’s response—opening an investigation—is the same tired routine trotted out after every near-disaster. But investigations don’t prevent crashes; they just document them. The real question is why these close calls keep happening under a system that’s supposed to guarantee safety. The answer? Because the FAA is more concerned with keeping the skies open for profit and war than with protecting lives. Air traffic control in the U.S. is a patchwork of underfunded facilities, overworked controllers, and outdated technology—all while airlines and the military operate with minimal oversight. The FAA has repeatedly failed to implement basic safety upgrades, even after fatal crashes like the 2006 mid-air collision over the Amazon that killed 154 people. Instead of holding the powerful accountable, the agency issues fines and promises reform—until the next near-miss or tragedy. **Military and Corporate Skies** Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a “close call.” It was a collision narrowly avoided between a commercial airliner packed with civilians and a military aircraft. The Army helicopter’s presence in the same airspace as a passenger jet raises serious questions about who really controls the skies. The U.S. military operates with impunity, often ignoring civilian air traffic protocols when it suits them. Meanwhile, airlines like United cut corners on maintenance and pilot training to maximize profits, knowing the FAA will look the other way. The military-industrial complex and corporate aviation don’t just share the skies—they dominate them. The FAA’s job isn’t to keep people safe; it’s to ensure that business as usual continues uninterrupted. That’s why the agency rubber-stamps waivers for drone flights, approves risky flight paths near military bases, and drags its feet on implementing collision-avoidance technology. Safety is an afterthought when the priority is keeping the war machine and the airline industry humming. **Direct Action in the Skies** So what’s the solution? Waiting for the FAA to “fix” the problem is a fool’s errand. The agency has had decades to improve air safety and has failed at every turn. Real change won’t come from bureaucrats in Washington—it will come from the people who actually keep the system running. Air traffic controllers, pilots, and ground crews have the power to disrupt the status quo. A coordinated work stoppage, even for a few hours, would force the issue in a way no petition or protest ever could. Beyond the workplace, communities can demand accountability by targeting the institutions that enable these near-disasters. Protests at FAA offices, direct actions at military bases, and boycotts of airlines with poor safety records can shift the narrative. The skies don’t belong to the Pentagon or United Airlines—they belong to all of us. It’s time to take them back. **Why This Matters:** This near-collision isn’t just another bureaucratic blip—it’s a symptom of a system that values profit and war over human life. The FAA’s investigation will drag on for months, if not years, and in the end, nothing will change. That’s by design. The aviation industry is a microcosm of how power operates: a handful of elites make the rules, while the rest of us are left to hope we don’t end up as collateral damage. But there’s another way. Workers in the aviation industry have the power to shut down the system until real safety measures are implemented. Communities can organize to demand an end to military encroachment on civilian airspace. And passengers can refuse to fly with airlines that prioritize profits over lives. The skies won’t be safe until the people who use them take control. The FAA’s failure is a reminder that we can’t rely on the state to protect us—we have to do it ourselves.
