System Breakdown

Documentary

S2, E8: Our air traffic control system has reached a breaking point. There are simply too many planes in the sky and the tools on the ground are in dire need of upgrading. Take a harrowing journey into the past, aboard five flights doomed by communication breakdowns, and chart the changes these air disasters forced. Then peek into the future as we join FAA test pilots experimenting with NextGen, a whole new system of air traffic control. If successful, it will greatly ease the mounting stress in control towers, and ultimately save countless lives.

Aug 5, 2012 · 45m

Information

Released: 2012
Run Time: 45 min
Rated: TV-14
Content Advisories: Violence
Region of Origin: United States; © 2012 SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. All rights reserved. Smithsonian Channel is a trademark of Smithsonian Institution. SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. is an authorized user.

Languages

Original Audio: English (United States)
Audio: English (United States) (⁨Dolby 5.1⁩, AAC)
Subtitles: English (CC)

Accessibility

: Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.