Memorandum Date February 22, 2006 Please read FAA announces building new tower and moving TRACON to Miami
In January 2002 there was a study done. It is amazing that we tax payers have paid for these studies to be done and then the FAA ignores their own recommendations. See Study part 1 & 2
I contacted my congressman and my Senator Bill Nelson, Senator Nelson sent the FAA asking them some of my questions.
The link for Letter the FAA sent to Senator Nelson's Office is very interesting. On May 13th, 2008 I was at a public meeting and I asked about this contingency plan that the FAA sent to the Senator and myself. Rick Ducharme( Deputy Vice President of Terminal Services) was there to answer questions.
The FAA contingency plan is for Jacksonville ARTCC center to take over the Miami airspace if all of Miami goes to ATC Zero.
First question I asked was If Jacksonville moves it boundaries to take over Miami airspace who will cover Jacksonville airspace? No Answer
What happened on September 25, 2007? Memphis ARTCC center goes to ATCZero and not one of the Five surrounding ARTCC centers take over the air space. Why?
I was told it wasn't down long enough to warrant another taking over the air space. I asked how long is long enough? Well that depends. Depends on what?
It depends on where we would be able to set up our equipment. (Yo a little common sense here. If you leave the TRACON in West Palm Beach, South Florida people might have a chance.)
I ask Rick Ducharme how much his life is worth? He looked at me and laughed and asked what do you mean? I asked again how much do you think your life is worth? I then said lets just say 1 million dollars. He laughed and said I'm worth a lot more than that. I said that's ok but we will just use 1 million for now.
Take your 1 million dollars and multiply that by 8 million people, the measly 32 million dollars you talk about saving over the next 20 years doesn't compare to what our lives are worth.
Then I asked the big question! Has any ARTCC center ever assumed another ARTCC centers airspace? He looked to his panel on the left and then the right and looked at me and said NO!
Oh great this is the FAA contingency plan and they have never practiced it. Heaven help us all! Just look at what happened to the Pensacola TRACON after a category 3 hurricane.
