But They're Stuck With It Until 2009
In a sense, controllers
at Florida's Opa-locka Airport have gotten what they wanted: a new
control tower, to replace their old 141-foot tower that, after
withstanding two hurricanes, was falling apart. Well, they are in a
new control tower... or, more accurately, a trailer.
That's not the worst of it, however. The Miami Herald reports
that until the new, permanent, $11 million control tower is
completed -- which won't happen until 2009 at the earliest --
controllers at OPF will be forced to make due with the temporary
control trailer the FAA has given them (an example of an FAA
temporary tower is shown at right.)
While not without its artistic qualities -- Charles Danger, the
top building official with Miami-Dade County, says "I guess you can
call it a piece of modern art" -- the tower, perched precariously
on top of two steel cargo containers welded together to lift it 33
feet off the ground, has very few fans.
"This is not a structure that meets any code whatsoever," Danger
added.
Indeed, controllers have to climb a ladder to get inside... and
even then, the tower is not tall enough to give controllers a view
of the entire field.
"They can't see where you taxi out," said pilot Rene Martin,
echoing sentiments of many pilots at Opa-locka.
The temporary tower trailer in place at Opa-locka is one of
several in the FAA's fleet, and is usually used during weekend
airshows at smaller airfields, or during emergencies. Such towers
are seldom in service much longer than a month... nevermind three
years.
Danger says the tower poses, well, a danger to controllers,
especially during storms. What's worse, Danger says the tower
itself -- and its cargo container base -- could become a piece of
flying debris should another hurricane hit the South Florida
area.
While she admits the tower now in use at OPF is "a little
unconventional," FAA spokesman Kathleen Bergen adds the tower is
safe... and that as a federal entity, FAA buildings don't need to
meet codes, anyway.
That will likely come as little comfort to controllers and
pilots alike at Opa-locka, which is already gearing up for an
influx of air traffic during next year's Super Bowl.
The new tower -- which has been held up several times over
funding issues -- is slated to be ready in early 2009.