The FAA has backup generators and fuel for them standing by in case they are needed in the event of commercial power outages. [Credit: iStock]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA maintains comprehensive, year-round hurricane preparedness, led by its Joint Crisis Action Team, to coordinate planning, prioritize resources, and rapidly restore air service.
Measures include protecting critical equipment, designing control towers to withstand hurricane-force winds, securing backup generators, and strategically staging technician teams for quick repairs.
Air traffic controllers follow safety protocols by evacuating towers during peak winds but remain on duty to resume operations immediately after a storm passes.
Post-storm, the FAA Command Center facilitates relief efforts by coordinating with federal and state authorities, managing temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), and issuing Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs).
The FAA prepares for hurricanes year-round, and has procedures in place for when and where they strike, which also helps it to restore air service quickly after the storms pass.
According to the agency, the Joint Crisis Action Team at the FAA Command Center oversees and coordinates planning before a storm hits as well during the aftermath and cleanup.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
