Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
From what I read all 150 airports effected are contract workers not employed by FCC directly. Those postions funding can be picked up by the state or local government .Texas is already looking at funding them for at least three months.
From what I read all 150 airports effected are contract workers not employed by FCC directly. Those postions funding can be picked up by the state or local government .Texas is already looking at funding them for at least three months.
The one thing that stood out on the list, were a couple of GA reliever airports in the DFW area. I think Grand Prairie and Arlington have a fairly significant amount of traffic.
There were similar airports in other states, beneath Class B airspace, that I think are questionable for closure. Not necessarily for safety reasons, but for what would be involved in getting an IFR clearance without a tower controller. The tower controllers at these airports spend a lot of time on the phone with the controlling facility, that pilots aren't necessarily aware of. With the tower closed, pilots will have to do this for themselves. Not a problem for most of the Podunks on the list, but for those in DFW, ORD, etc. airspace it could be a major hassle.
Our small regional airport never had air traffic controllers.
Then when the economy was flush, they appeared.
The government paid for a new million dollar tower, then
the at controllers disappear. That's government foryou!
We never needed the controller anyway; just another
way to spend money.. imo
I see my home airport is on that list KTTD Portland-Troutdale Oregon. I started learning to fly there when I was a little kid and my uncle would take me up. I recently flew with him on a rare nice April day in the morning and even though the weather was perfect we never had a plane waiting in front of us and the whole time we were doing the run up and going through the check list there were no other airplanes taxiing to the active or on final. The only problem I see is later in the day. When we came back from our flight the pattern was full, we couldn't believe it. It will be "pretty hard" to coordinate with ATC with the pattern full like that. To get everyone in using only traffic com would be even harder. KUAO Aroura State OR doesn't have ATC and there have been numerous mid-airs in the pattern because... people just don't pay attention. Its nice to have someone watching over you. How many incidences have there been where a pilot forgot to put his gear out and the tower reminded him in time to intiate a go-around? I have been told to enter the pattern at TTD when normally you just turn for final mostly on nice weather evenings. Then on downwind I saw someone had just landed someone was turning on to base and another was turning on to final. I have never experienced that much traffic at a non-towered airport. Even Sunriver, OR there isn't that much traffic. With Grove, Squire, fly for fun, and lets not for get heavies roaring 1000' overhead into PDX I just don't think it's a good idea to get rid of ATC at TTD. KTTD tower should be seasonal. May-October. That would save money and saves lives.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
