Opinion: Fund controllers

Posted: March 31, 2013 - 2:42pm

As a pilot of 23 years, I am deeply concerned over the proposed cuts of air-traffic controllers from our two Topeka airports.

Now that the Forbes Field tower has been spared, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority must consider ways to restore controller funding for the tower at Philip Billard Municipal Airport.

I have personally witnessed dozens of aircraft being skillfully managed for hours on end by the controllers at Billard. I have also flown into airports that are uncontrolled, and they are not nearly as safe.

Uncontrolled airports require that pilots accurately judge and announce their positions, agree upon which runways to use, agree upon landing order, and then actually see each other to maintain a safe degree of separation.

Such actions usually take place over cities or crowded neighborhoods. That would certainly be the case if the Topeka airspace lacked air-traffic controllers.

I would say that Topeka has one of the best run air-traffic systems that I have flown into.

We also must not discount the potential loss of revenue from air traffic and business that comes to Topeka via Billard airport by personal, corporate or governmental aviation.

At Billard airport, there is a steady hum of corporate and personal aircraft that vastly increases on the weekends.

It is chilling to think of that traffic coming into Billard uncontrolled. Much of the traffic approaches over the heart of the city. The Billard air traffic also frequently crosses into the Forbes airspace, and that also takes place over the city. Imagine the results of a midair collision.

We must support our local air-traffic system.

ERIC VOTH, M.D.,

Topeka

Source:   http://cjonline.com/opinion