FAA Announces Air Traffic Control Tower Closures
By: WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: March 25, 2013
BLOOMINGTON - The F-A-A announces today that the air traffic control tower at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington will be shut down. But airport officials say it's not happening, despite the federal decision.
The tower is one of 149 A-T-C's to be shuddered as part of the agencies sequestration implementation plan. The F-A-A had proposed closing 189 towers to meet the $637 million in cuts required under the budget sequestration.
The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority says CIRA's tower shouldn't be on that list because of its daily operations and connection to larger airports in the area.
Since then, they've started looking into other ways of keeping the tower open. They say a complete plan isn't in place, but will be finalized and announced soon.
Transportation secretary Ray LaHood says the agency heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very difficult decisions.
The closures will not force the shutdown of any airports, but pilots will be left to coordinate take-offs and landings.
The F-A-A will begin a four week phased closure of the towers on April 7th.
The tower is one of 149 A-T-C's to be shuddered as part of the agencies sequestration implementation plan. The F-A-A had proposed closing 189 towers to meet the $637 million in cuts required under the budget sequestration.
The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority says CIRA's tower shouldn't be on that list because of its daily operations and connection to larger airports in the area.
Since then, they've started looking into other ways of keeping the tower open. They say a complete plan isn't in place, but will be finalized and announced soon.
Transportation secretary Ray LaHood says the agency heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very difficult decisions.
The closures will not force the shutdown of any airports, but pilots will be left to coordinate take-offs and landings.
The F-A-A will begin a four week phased closure of the towers on April 7th.
Comments
Imagine the Wal-mart parking lot. Now imagine airplanes are landing and taking off the same way people drive in that parking lot without anybody in control. Now imagine you are IN one of those airplanes. Feel safe? Glad we cut that pesky budget to make some Republicans happy? I don't think so.
Michael L.
March 23, 2013 at 7:33 am
