There were a lot of exPATCO controllers too. Al ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alireza Alivandivafa" <DEmocrat2n@xxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 10:34 PM Subject: Re: Control towers and A380 management > In a message dated 12/2/2003 7:09:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, > exatc@xxxxxxxxxx writes: > > << I don't think you'd ever see the major facilities such as DFW Tower or > TRACON, LAX, ORD, MSP, ATL etc. contracted out. It's been quite awhile > since I've seen the facilities proposed to be contracted/privitazied out. I > don't believe that any facility that provided radar approach/departure > control services was on the list. The low activity stand alone VFR control > towers were the ones I saw proposed. Of course the Union is going to fight > privatization. They would stand to lose some membership presently at those > facilities. Hey I don't blame them. Let me pose a question if the "new > technology" as you called it were that bad they wouldn't be using it. Not > knowing what you refer to as being "turned off" I can't comment. The > "Common IFR Room", Area Control Facility, concept has been around a long > time. And that's a whole 'nother subject. >> > > The thing about turning something off, it is a TRACON program that tells the > best path for the airplanes. Problems is that it does not do that most of the > time because it can't compensate for the human factor in the airplanes. > All old level one towers (like RDD and OXR) are now contracted out. That > happened a little over 10 years ago. That is one thing. It is actually not so > bad as they are often staffed by controlers that are aged out of the FAA and > are supplementing their pension. The problem is that they want to contract out > all VFR and IFR towers that do not handle commercial traffic. That includes > busy places like VNY, CMA and Merrill. It could possibly include towers like > JNU that see fewer big jets, even though it is one of the most weather > controlled airports in the world. >