Politics & Government

FAA to Close Briscoe Field Tower

The tower is one of 149 regional air traffic control towers to close starting next month due to federal budget cuts.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday (March 22) it will close 149 regional air traffic control towers starting in April. Gwinnett County Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville is on that list.Β 

The closures are a result of federal budget cuts due to sequestration. The FAA was forced to cut $637 million dollars from its $48 billion budget, according to CNN.com.

The FAA plans to begin shutting down control towers nationwide on April 7. It should take four weeks close all of the towers. Briscoe Field is a general aviation airport.

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Control towers at regional airports in Albany, Athens, Macon and Cobb County are also slated to close. DeKalb Peachtree Airport was spared.Β 

After being notified of the control tower's impending closure, Joe Sorenson, communications director for Gwinnett County issued a statement indicating it is unclear what impact the closure will have on flight operations at Briscoe Field. The control tower currently operates from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

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"The county regrets that the FAA did not grant a waiver with our appeal, but we are hopeful that this is not a permanent or long-term situation," Sorenson said in the emailed statement.

"Gwinnett County reaffirms our continued commitment to maintaining all other safety and operational aspects at the airport beyond the air traffic control tower."

Sorenson previously told Patch that even if the control tower at Briscoe Field were to close, the airport could remain open and operating.

~ Lawrenceville Patch


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