Boca Raton Airport control tower: Airport authority doesn't want its tower to close

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Dan Braun keeps air traffic flowing in the skies at the Boca Raton Airport.

His supervisor, David Bezanis, says having five air traffic controllers is important to the operation of the airport tower. "That is what is unique about Boca is our mix of traffic. We have a pretty good amount of about a 60/40 mix in the corporate jets to the small light aircrafts like single engine Cessnas that everyone is familiar with, the training type aircrafts."

The F-A-A plans to close towers at small airports as part of federal budget cuts.

Janet Scherr with the Boca Raton Airport Authority says the airport tower could close. "Immediately the air traffic controllers in the tower will be unemployed. We expect a decrease in traffic because some corporate jets will not fly into an uncontrolled airport, so we expect a decrease. You have a decrease in fuel sales, and so people will be laid off in the air field."
 
Thursday, employees and local pilots are trying to rally the community  and lawmakers for support.

Sherr said, "Users of the airport, residents in the region to contact their congresspeople. Frankel, Congressman Deutch and Senator Nelson. Write them, call them and let them know that the closure of our airport tower would have a significant impact on the safety and operations of the economic factors in our community."
 
The Boca Raton Airport Authority hopes legislators can step in and help keep the tower open and workers from being unemployed.

 The next public meeting is scheduled for March 20th.