Subject: Re: Potomac crash - VAS Aviation
Controllers were already understaffed, so that problem would get more acute.

Right. That's what I was trying to figure out. We know they're understaffed, but so far (present tragedy excepted) it has generally been possible to operate a functioning air traffic system even with the understaffing.

If we lost some outrageous number of controllers - say 70% - the system would break down. I assume that if we lost a less outrageous but still large number of controllers - say 40% - the system would also break under the strain.

I was just wondering if the number that the OPM expects for uptake on retirement - closer to 10% - would pose a similar systemic problem for air traffic control, or if that's still small enough that they can make it work without major consequence (again, present tragedy excepted).