Membership Update

March 15, 2013

The Senate continues to debate the Continuing Funding Resolution. The Moran Amendment that would avoid shuttering the contract tower program and require the FAA to more fairly and equitably redistribute funding reductions has yet to be considered by the Senate. The amendment, however, is gaining momentum and bipartisan support. If you haven't called your Senators urging their support for the Moran amendment, please do so.

Also, below is an email from FAA Chief Operating Officer David Grizzle regarding the contract tower program and the FAA's decision to delay an announcement of its final decision on which towers it will cease to fund. This delay in the announcement is a result of the large number of explanations received from stakeholders regarding adverse effects to the national interest in closing certain towers.

From: David.Grizzle@faa.gov
Date: March 15, 2013, 1:36:40 PM EDT
Subject: Update -- FAA Contract Tower Program

As you are aware, the FAA has offered to airport sponsors for 189 airports within the FAA's contract tower program the opportunity to explain why the elimination of funding for the tower operations at their airports would adversely affect the national interest.

The FAA has received a very large number of responses. In order to review comprehensively the submission on behalf of each airport, the FAA will delay the date of its final decision and announcement of which airport tower operations it intends to cease to fund. The FAA will make that announcement on March 22, 2013.

J. David Grizzle
Chief Operating Officer
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591