Some airports still waiting for word on future plans

HICKORY, N.C. — Flights across the country are finally getting back on track after more than 3,000 delays last week.

Congress pushed through legislation last week to allow the FAA to suspend all of its furloughs.

But some local, smaller airports aren't sure the legislation will help.

Air traffic controller Jeff Forman isn't sure what the future holds. For months now, he said his job has been up in the air because of sequestration.

Hickory, along with Concord, ended up on a list of 149 contract towers slated to be closed starting June 15. Then last week, word came that his job and four others there may have been saved by legislation.

“Thursday we were real hopeful. We were like all smiles. It is a done deal now. We felt really good,” Forman said. “And now we're back to waiting. We just don't know."

Eyewitness News called Congressman Patrick McHenry and emailed Congressman Richard Hudson and found out the bill passed last week allows the FAA the authority to move funds around but doesn't explicitly tell them how to spend the money. That means airports like Hickory and Concord could still lose their towers.

"There are a lot of private planes that take off out of here. It does get busy,” employee Mickey Guthrie said.

Guthrie has worked at the airport for the past five years and believes it has enough traffic to warrant the tower.

Lezli Kolcun has climbed to the top of the tower for the past 16 years, where she is a supervisor. She is worried about losing her job but just as concerned about safety at the airport.

“Imagine going through Highway 70 and Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard without a stoplight. That's how this airport would be,” Kolcun said.

The airport said it has not received anything from the FAA yet.

Pilots there said they are even more concerned about the tower in Concord, which handles roughly twice as many flights each year.

WSOC