As the NTSB continues its probe into the PSA and Med Jets accidents last week that claimed the lives of a combined 74 people and injured two dozen more, 30 national aviation associations have pledged to take action “to ensure accidents like these never happen again.” At the same time, the associations urged policymakers to provide adequate funding to ensure the FAA and NTSB can carry out their work.

The associations issued a joint statement yesterday saying the aviation community is united in its grief and promised: “We never take safety for granted, and we never will.”

They pointed to statements of transportation secretary Sean Duffy and National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy that air transportation remains the safest mode of transportation.

“We are confident that the NTSB, working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Defense (DOD) and other parties, will identify root causes and issue recommendations for the aviation industry and the U.S. military to prevent future accidents,” they maintained, and added, “We strongly support this important work and urge policymakers to ensure that the NTSB and the FAA have the staffing and resources needed to ensure that the U.S. aviation system is safe and efficient and can continue to innovate.”

The joint statement followed a separate statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) on Tuesday touting the professionalism of the controllers but also calling for increased staffing. That statement was issued as controller staffing has come under public scrutiny in the aftermath of the PSA CRJ700 and U.S. Army Black Hawk collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“As we have stated before, all air traffic controllers—regardless of race or gender—are well-trained and highly skilled dedicated professionals who keep the national airspace system safe and maintain its efficiency on behalf of all Americans,” NATCA stressed. “We have performed these duties while working short-staffed, often six days a week, 10 hours a day for years at a time, with outdated equipment and facilities that are in many cases more than 60 years old and long overdue to be replaced and modernized.”

Noting that controllers guide thousands of flights through the system every day, NATCA added, “Air traffic controllers, with their unique skill and precision, are the backbone of the world’s safest and most complex airspace system…We believe that acknowledging the dedication of these professionals and focusing on addressing the chronic understaffing of our air traffic control system, as well as modernizing the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, would better serve the safety and reliability of the aviation system.”