Post by TCU 2U2 on Mar 13, 2013 6:05:15 GMT -5
CHARLOTTE: Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic
AIRPORT: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
CURRENT AIRPORT CAPACITY: Arrival rate is 96 aircraft per hour during ideal weather conditions when controllers use three runways for arrivals. Between each arrival, controllers move 70 departures out on two runways.
IN THE TOWER AND TERMINAL RADAR APPROACH CONTROL (TRACON) ROOM:
Full staffing is 21 air traffic controllers on each shift, nine working in the tower and 12 in the TRACON.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: If the FAA furloughs controllers due to sequestration, Charlotte controllers estimate they could lose four controllers per shift. That’s a 20 percent cut from normal staffing. One position that could go unfilled would be a controller who helps coordinate landings. That could drop the arrival rate by more than 25 percent, down to approximately 70 per hour.
MORE INFORMATION: In addition to CLT, Charlotte controllers oversee traffic that land and depart at 23 different airports in the region, called “satellite” airports. There can also be as many as 20 “overflight” aircraft per hour; they fly through the Charlotte controllers’ airspace and are handled by controllers but don’t land in Charlotte airspace. These operations would also be reduced in a furlough situation that would take away staffing. Furthermore, many NASCAR teams would be adversely affected since a majority of the race teams are based at Concord, N.C. The tower there is on the FAA’s list of towers that it could close to save money.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Chicago
Airport:Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
Current Arrival Rate: 114 aircraft per hour, with ORD North and South towers active and staffed.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration Thirty-seven percent drop in arrival rate. In good weather, the tower could handle 72 arrivals per hour. In Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions, ORD could handle only 56 arrivals per hour. Under furloughs, the North
Tower would likely be closed and the airport would be restricted to two runways.
The TRACON would likely have to combine positions so a majority of the satellite traffic would incur delaysinto nearby airports such as Midway.
AIRPORT: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
CURRENT AIRPORT CAPACITY: Arrival rate is 96 aircraft per hour during ideal weather conditions when controllers use three runways for arrivals. Between each arrival, controllers move 70 departures out on two runways.
IN THE TOWER AND TERMINAL RADAR APPROACH CONTROL (TRACON) ROOM:
Full staffing is 21 air traffic controllers on each shift, nine working in the tower and 12 in the TRACON.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: If the FAA furloughs controllers due to sequestration, Charlotte controllers estimate they could lose four controllers per shift. That’s a 20 percent cut from normal staffing. One position that could go unfilled would be a controller who helps coordinate landings. That could drop the arrival rate by more than 25 percent, down to approximately 70 per hour.
MORE INFORMATION: In addition to CLT, Charlotte controllers oversee traffic that land and depart at 23 different airports in the region, called “satellite” airports. There can also be as many as 20 “overflight” aircraft per hour; they fly through the Charlotte controllers’ airspace and are handled by controllers but don’t land in Charlotte airspace. These operations would also be reduced in a furlough situation that would take away staffing. Furthermore, many NASCAR teams would be adversely affected since a majority of the race teams are based at Concord, N.C. The tower there is on the FAA’s list of towers that it could close to save money.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic: Chicago
Airport:Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
Current Arrival Rate: 114 aircraft per hour, with ORD North and South towers active and staffed.
Estimated Effects of Sequestration Thirty-seven percent drop in arrival rate. In good weather, the tower could handle 72 arrivals per hour. In Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions, ORD could handle only 56 arrivals per hour. Under furloughs, the North
Tower would likely be closed and the airport would be restricted to two runways.
The TRACON would likely have to combine positions so a majority of the satellite traffic would incur delaysinto nearby airports such as Midway.