FUNDINGFOCUS
2014, and mobilizing local supporters to do the
same. They should be talking to local leadership about budgeting to pay controllers past FY
2013, doing benefit/cost analyses of continuing
towered operations—with or without federal
funds, and researching the latest technology
that provides remote ATC operations for multiple airports—sharing and lowering the cost
of operations."
The fight is not over by any means, stresses
Poole.
"Unless something happens [in Congress] to
change things, this will start all over again this
September for FY 2014," he says. "I'd be working
right now with the Contract Tower Association
to develop a funding solution to cover the cost. If
you believe the rhetoric that the contract tower
program represents a viable option, how can
you as a good manager not develop
a contingency plan?"
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Robert Mark,
CEO, CommAvia
Mark, a 35-year aviation-industry thought leader, is CEO of CommAvia, a marketing communications group that delivers leading edge media to the aviation industry, and author of
the award-winning industry blog, JetWhine.com. Mark, a commercial pilot who has logged
7,000 flying hours in airliners and business jets, as well as dozens of small training aircraft, is
uniquely poised to write about the air traffic control tower issue. He spent 10 years as an air
traffic controller and supervisor with the FAA. He can be reached at rmark@commavia.com.
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