NBAA Welcomes FAA Delay for ATC Tower Closures

Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, April 5, 2013 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today issued the following statement regarding an announcement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the agency would delay the closure of 149 contract air traffic control towers until June 15, in order to provide time to further examine considerations related to the closures.

“As we have said, air traffic control towers play an integral role in ensuring that America’s aviation system remains the safest, largest and most efficient in the world, and we want to see as many towers remain open as possible. We welcome this decision from the FAA, which will give the agency time to take further input from airport officials and others, and to carefully examine all aspects involved in the closure of each tower. NBAA and the business aviation community look forward to providing additional guidance to the FAA in the coming weeks, as agency officials continue their tower-closure review process.”

The FAA had planned to begin closing the 149 contract towers on April 7, as a result of the federal government’s “sequester,” or curtailment of spending at federal agencies. NBAA and other aviation stakeholders have repeatedly met with FAA officials to outline the industry’s concerns over the plan; on March 12, Bolen wrote FAA Administrator Michael Huerta outlining the Association’s position on the proposed closures, and offering suggestions to help mitigate the impact tower closings on operations.

Review Bolen’s letter in its entirety.

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 9,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.

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