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 initially planned to close 149 federal contract air traffic control towers but delayed these closures until June 15 to address legal challenges and allow for a smoother transition.
• This delay followed revelations that the FAA was using outdated (30-year-old) accident data to justify tower operations, prompting the agency to begin updating its evaluation policy.
• The author's primary concern with the tower closures and funding cuts is not necessarily safety, but rather the negative impact on the efficient and orderly flow of air traffic and overall economic productivity.

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