Decision To Come March 18 Ahead Of Sun 'n' Fun Fly-In

The FAA is expected to make a decision by March 18 whether to close Florida's Lakeland Linder Regional Airport tower due to the effects of sequestration. But closure of the tower would not necessarily mean there would be no air traffic control for the annual Sun 'n' Fun fly-in scheduled for early April.

The FAA says impact on local communities will not affect the agency's decision to close any tower. “Negative impact on the national interest is the only criterion the FAA will use for deciding to continue services to an airport that falls below the activity threshold.” wrote Michael Huerta, FAA administrator, and J. David Grizzle, FAA chief operating officer, air traffic organization.

The Leger newspaper reports that according to a source at the FAA, towers at airports like Lakeland would be shuttered on April 7 ... two days before the scheduled opening of the air show and fly-in. Sun 'n' Fun president John Leenhouts told the paper that private controllers will be hired if the FAA pulls their personnel out of the tower. He said the public would not know the difference.

But, he said, hiring the controllers would cut into the proceeds from the show, which is normally used to offer scholarships and grants to schools in Polk County, FL.

FMI: www.faa.gov