Sequestered 2.0

Last month in this space, I discussed the FAA’s plans to close scores of control towers around the country as part of its reaction to ongoing, manufactured federal budget crises. On April 5, two days before the first round of tower closures was scheduled and as this issue was being finalized, the FAA suddenly announced it would “delay the closures of all 149 federal contract air traffic control towers until June 15.”

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA unexpectedly delayed the closure of 149 federal contract air traffic control towers until June 15, citing legal challenges and the need for more time to execute changes.
• This delay followed reports that the FAA was using 30-year-old, pre-1990 collision data to justify tower closures, which the agency acknowledged as outdated and needing an update.
• The author expresses concern not necessarily about safety impacts, but about the effect of these budget cuts on the efficient and orderly flow of air traffic and the government's contradictory actions.

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