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rsmith6621

(6,942 posts)
Fri Apr 5, 2013, 04:56 PM Apr 2013

So The FAA Towers Have Been Spared Closure till June





Jeez do you think it was because... choose one or prioritize them in the order you feel is correct.

1.... Private pilots squeaked the wheel enough..

2..... Tower controllers squeaked the wheel enough..

3... The public squeaked the wheel enough.... OR

4.... Corporate airlines made a donation to the FAA
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So The FAA Towers Have Been Spared Closure till June (Original Post) rsmith6621 Apr 2013 OP
Rich fucking bastards with their private jets montanacowboy Apr 2013 #1
The revised CR gave them enough money ProgressiveProfessor Apr 2013 #2
These are small airports staffed by contract controllers who are currently paid by the government. FLyellowdog Apr 2013 #3

FLyellowdog

(4,276 posts)
3. These are small airports staffed by contract controllers who are currently paid by the government.
Fri Apr 5, 2013, 06:38 PM
Apr 2013

People in the private sector, i.e.,corporations private pilots, etc., are the ones using the facilities. While these airports contribute to the government coffers via taxes from the users, they are not self-funding and the smaller airports especially require government subsidizing. It appears as though the government is now orchestrating a "pay to play" scenario.

However, apparently the proper procedures for changing the airports statuses weren't followed so the companies filed lawsuits against the FAA citing safety issues causing the government to postpone the closings.

These airports actually can stay open without a tower or they can find other ways to fund controllers (who are not members of FAA) instead of relying on government money . In other words, the cities, corporations, municipalities, whatever will have to find ways to fund the tower operations if the FAA stops their money.

Note that the controllers in these towers do not, nor will they ever, make the same salaries that the FAA controllers make. Many of them are retired FAA controllers or younger people trying to get OTJ training so they can apply for FAA jobs.

The money the govenment had anticipated saving due to the now delayed closings will have to come from some other cubby hole. Right now it doesn't seem clear where that "cubby hole" is.

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