One day after the Federal Aviation Administration announced its plan to possibly move radar air traffic control from the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport to a new facility in Cleveland, those being affected by the change got a chance to voice their concerns.
Representatives from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association held a special meeting on Friday night to educate pilots and controllers about the FAA's new plan.
Representatives from the NATCA flew into town to talk to pilots, controllers and airport users about the possibility of radar air traffic control being moved over 70 miles away to Cleveland.
The NATCA feels that the FAA has not included airport users in this new plan, and it would be in the FAA's best interest if they did.
"We found in the past that when the FAA has done consolidations like what they're proposing to do here, when they've done it successfully, it's been successful because the community, the aviation community in that area has been involved; the controllers, pilots, the FAA airport communities," said Alexandra Caldwell, spokeswoman for the NATCA.
Many of the pilots and controllers in the area said the FAA has not involved them in this plan; a plan they said they don't know much about yet.
"How is safety going to be impacted? How is the operation going to be impacted? How are my users going to get everything they need? We don't have any answers to those questions yet," said Vivian Lumbard, an air traffic controller for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
Pilots and controllers said they need answers to make sure safety is not adversely impacted if everything goes to one facility in Cleveland.
"Radar's our eyes when the weather goes down. It's our way back to the airport to be able to fly and land safely," said pilot John Defrance.
This new plan could happen as early as 2013, but before that happens, many would like the FAA to explain their plan to everyone being affected.
"We want them to sit down, reveal what the master plan is, what are their goals, what are they trying to achieve so that we can all get together and work together to come up with a cohesive plan that makes sense and does not give up something in terms of safety," said Lumbard.
The proposal would not just affect the Youngstown airport, but the Akron-Canton, Toledo and Mansfield airports as well.
