The Other Red Baron Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 Has anyone seen airports with what I can only describe as a "baby control tower"? I found one at H34 the other day. I find it hard to believe there was ever enough traffic to justify a staffed control tower so I'm curious what the real purpose is/was. Not my pic, but a pic of it: Quote
ArtVandelay Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 Did it used to be a military airport, maybe as far back as WWII? 1 Quote
gsxrpilot Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 They've got one of those shorty towers at KFWS and have a "remote" tower in a trailer at KFNL. 1 Quote
The Other Red Baron Posted April 13, 2020 Author Report Posted April 13, 2020 24 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said: Did it used to be a military airport, maybe as far back as WWII? That is what I thought too but all of the ones on Wiki are in the flatlands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_World_War_II_Army_Airfields Quote
The Other Red Baron Posted April 13, 2020 Author Report Posted April 13, 2020 (edited) I found a little section on the town's website regarding the airport which mentions the building was donated by Drake Field at Fayetteville but nothing more. I guess if it is free it doesn't really matter what it is. https://huntsvillearkansas.org/airport/ Edited April 13, 2020 by The Other Red Baron Probably answered my own question. "Free" Quote
EricJ Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 38 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said: For low approaches ? ...and other emergencies... 1 Quote
whiskytango Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 OTOH Leesburg VA (KJYO) has had a remote tower in the spring and summer months. Because it is so close to KIAD, getting an IFR clearance out of KJYO on a VFR day is a guaranteed wait of 20 minutes while Clearance Delivery assures you they are still waiting for a release from Potomac Approach. KJYO Tower.tiff Quote
MooneyMitch Posted April 13, 2020 Report Posted April 13, 2020 14 minutes ago, EricJ said: ...and other emergencies... Oh man, that’s the best! Frank Tallman flying most of the stunts in It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ! 2 Quote
Eight8Victor Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 Baby control towers? For flying babies, duh. 3 2 Quote
aviatoreb Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 I think it is just terrible that the government is trying to control babies. Babies! BABIES! This is just not right. Free the babies!!! 5 Quote
MooneyMitch Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, aviatoreb said: I think it is just terrible that the government is trying to control babies. Babies! BABIES! This is just not right. Free the babies!!! First they got control of adults, now they’re after babies ! 1 Quote
aviatoreb Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said: First they got control of adults, now they’re after babies ! I know right? What's next? Controlling puppies?! 1 Quote
EricJ Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 2 hours ago, aviatoreb said: I think it is just terrible that the government is trying to control babies. Babies! BABIES! This is just not right. Free the babies!!! The church, too! 4 Quote
Skates97 Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 When we flew coast to coast we saw a couple similar to that. One was KPVW, Hale County Airport in Plainview, TX. The other was at KPBF, Grider Field, Pine Bluff, AR. They are a little taller than the on the OP shows, but both were abandoned. We asked the guy at the FBO in Plainview about it and he said that it was an operational tower up until Reagan fired all the controllers that were on strike in 1981, after that it was never operational again. I think there are still a lot of these abandoned towers scattered around the country that suffered a similar fate. I took this picture of the one in Pine Bluff. This picture isn't mine but you can see the one in Plainview is similar in size. 1 Quote
Rwsavory Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 West Memphis, AR recently removed its tower after it sat unused for decades. This article also attributes the closure to the PATCO strike and firings: https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/35407339/abandoned-air-traffic-control-tower-demolished/ Quote
aviatoreb Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 (edited) Maybe my first remark above may have been unfounded. Having rethought it, I realize the situation is much worse than I had initially considered. Maybe the FAA is not trying to use control towers to control babies. Baby control towers. MAYBE they have control towers that have babies working in them. But this seems to be in direct violation of federal guidelines for work responsibilities for youth. Not to mention, who here feels safe having heavy metal being controlled by under trained, under aged, irresponsible and under developed babies as air traffic controllers. I for one do not. I move we form a petition to demand that the FAA re-evaluate its position on using babies in their air traffic controller work force. This is an obscene misuse of personal and I for one will not stand for it. Please join me in your expression of anger at this new and under reported development. Edited April 14, 2020 by aviatoreb 1 Quote
MooneyMitch Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 29 minutes ago, aviatoreb said: Maybe my first remark above may have been unfounded. Having rethought it, I realize the situation is much worse than I had initially considered. Maybe the FAA is not trying to use control towers to control babies. Baby control towers. MAYBE they have control towers that have babies working in them. But this seems to be in direct violation of federal guidelines for work responsibilities for youth. Not to mention, who here feels safe having heavy metal being controlled by under trained, under aged, irresponsible and under developed babies as air traffic controllers. I for one do not. I move we form a petition to demand that the FAA re-evaluate its position on using babies in their air traffic controller work force. This is an obscene misuse of personal and I for one will not stand for it. Please join me in your expression of anger at this new and under reported development. Yeah, I’ve got a couple a big babies at my control tower! 1 Quote
Nick Pilotte Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 Not quite as short as the OP, but KJVL is pretty short, maybe 4 stories tall, but I’d say that’s being liberal. Quote
MooneyMitch Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 What is the criteria in determining the height of a control tower? Is there an FAA standard ? Does the airport environment and surrounding geography play at part in deciding the height? Is there a standard height? Hmmmm, do we get a baby bear tower, a momma bear tower, or a poppa bear size tower? Quote
aviatoreb Posted April 14, 2020 Report Posted April 14, 2020 1 hour ago, MooneyMitch said: What is the criteria in determining the height of a control tower? Is there an FAA standard ? Does the airport environment and surrounding geography play at part in deciding the height? Is there a standard height? Hmmmm, do we get a baby bear tower, a momma bear tower, or a poppa bear size tower? I bet budget has a lot to do with it. Quote
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