The FAA plans to reduce the number of VOR facilities to a “minimal operational network” by 2020. A minimum network would be enough that an aircraft anywhere in the continental U.S. would have no more than 100 miles to go via VOR to some GPS-independent approach. The FAA is accepting comments on its proposed policy until March 7.
AOPA quoted unnamed sources that the Office of Management and Budget has made the suggestion that funding be pulled from contract towers at airports that don’t have commercial service or high volumes of military traffic. The funding cuts would affect roughly half of the 248 contract towers, which are independently owned and operated facilities under contract to the FAA. According to AOPA, the proposal has not been approved by the FAA, which is now discussing it internally.
