FAA head defends safety of US air travel after close calls

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration is defending the safety of air travel as he answers questions about recent close calls between planes. Acting FAA administrator Billy Nolen said Wednesday he has formed a team to review efforts to keep air travel safe. Nolen also says FAA is making changes to avoid another breakdown in a safety-alert system, like the one that briefly halted all flights last month. Nolen is being quizzed by members of the Senate Commerce Committee. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas asks how air traffic controllers cleared two planes to use the same runway in Austin around the same time. Nolen says the incident is still under investigation.