Senator Wants Radios Back In FAA Towers

Wednesday, May 2nd 2007, 1:16 pm

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) â€“ U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe wants the Federal Aviation Administration to drop its eight-month-old ban on radios in air traffic control towers. Inhofe says severe weather season is about to begin in Oklahoma and having a radio in the control towers ensures emergency broadcasts are heard by air traffic controllers.

The FAA in September removed AM/FM radios from tower work areas to prevent them from becoming a distraction.

But the union representing the controllers say taking the radios removes a key asset the controllers use to watch for tornadoes and warn pilots.

An FAA spokesman says he couldn't immediately comment on Inhofe's letter because he hasn't seen it.

Related story:

5/1/2007 - FAA And Air Traffic Controllers At Odds Over Radio Use