Andy Reilly is not a happy camper this morning. Neither is Joe Sestak.
The Odd Couple, Reilly the Republican head of County Council and Sestak the upstart Democratic congressman, are licking their wounds after being rebuffed in court and watching as the FAA implemented the new flight paths for Philly International that they have been fighting with a passion.
They have lost the battle, but vow they will not lose the war. The county will continue its lawsuit in attempts to halt the program, which will allow planes to veer out over Delaware County at altitudes as low as 3,000 feet during peak travel times.
Some planes were routed on the new paths yesterday morning.
And residents were quick to call the newsroom to point out they noticed their new, and most unwelcome, neighbors.
Both Reilly and Sestak made a point of saying the FAA simply was ignoring the safety and other concerns of county residents.
Sestak will have more to say later this morning, when he holds a press conference with South Jersey congressman Rob Andrews, who also has opposed the plan.
Me? I kind of saw this coming all along. Similar airport design plans have been enacted – and fought – in other areas of the country. The legal challenges almost always fail.
But my concern lies not with the comments of residents or politicians yesterday.
Instead I was somewhat taken aback at what Don Chapman had to say. Who’s Don Chapman? He’s the local rep for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Chapman complained that his controllers were unprepared to implement the plan.
“There was never any live testing of this,” Chapman said. “The pilots are taking wrong turns.”
Now there’s a comforting thought. Allowing planes to go over heavily populated areas of the county and the guy who represents the men and women directing them saying there is confusion and wrong turns being made in the process.
Jim Peters, spokesman for the FAA, denied the claim and insisted the process used by the FAA is a safe one.
Stay tuned. This one is not going away anytime soon.
The Odd Couple, Reilly the Republican head of County Council and Sestak the upstart Democratic congressman, are licking their wounds after being rebuffed in court and watching as the FAA implemented the new flight paths for Philly International that they have been fighting with a passion.
They have lost the battle, but vow they will not lose the war. The county will continue its lawsuit in attempts to halt the program, which will allow planes to veer out over Delaware County at altitudes as low as 3,000 feet during peak travel times.
Some planes were routed on the new paths yesterday morning.
And residents were quick to call the newsroom to point out they noticed their new, and most unwelcome, neighbors.
Both Reilly and Sestak made a point of saying the FAA simply was ignoring the safety and other concerns of county residents.
Sestak will have more to say later this morning, when he holds a press conference with South Jersey congressman Rob Andrews, who also has opposed the plan.
Me? I kind of saw this coming all along. Similar airport design plans have been enacted – and fought – in other areas of the country. The legal challenges almost always fail.
But my concern lies not with the comments of residents or politicians yesterday.
Instead I was somewhat taken aback at what Don Chapman had to say. Who’s Don Chapman? He’s the local rep for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Chapman complained that his controllers were unprepared to implement the plan.
“There was never any live testing of this,” Chapman said. “The pilots are taking wrong turns.”
Now there’s a comforting thought. Allowing planes to go over heavily populated areas of the county and the guy who represents the men and women directing them saying there is confusion and wrong turns being made in the process.
Jim Peters, spokesman for the FAA, denied the claim and insisted the process used by the FAA is a safe one.
Stay tuned. This one is not going away anytime soon.
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