Controllers unaware of tornado, directed jet to land

[BUTCH1]

Text

 

[waggy]

ack that sucks.

 

[dartworth]

YIKES....

 

[FoBoT]

The local FAA manager installed weather radios Wednesday, Raulerson said.

Kathleen Bergen, an FAA spokeswoman, said the agency never has banned weather radios in control towers. She said the FAA banned commercial radios and cell phones in September to eliminate distractions in the towers.

i have a SAME weather radio

 

[BUTCH1]

The tornado destroyed 40 light aircraft at Embry-riddle (flight school) damaged 4 apartments
and 31 homes also left 5,000 W/O power x-mass day. Missed my house by 1 1/4 mi, scared
the **** out of everyone...

 

[Preyhunter]

Leave it to the union rep to blame their unpreparedness on a cell phone and personal radio ban. The FAA has no reason to ban WEATHER radios, all they would do is benefit the controllers by making them more aware of what is going on in their area. Unions have a way of blowing things out of proportion, but I guess that's their job.

 

[BUTCH1]

Everyone in town knew this storm was approaching EVERY local station had the
warnings posted! You can buy a weather radio for about $20 at radio shack!

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: Preyhunter
Leave it to the union rep to blame their unpreparedness on a cell phone and personal radio ban. The FAA has no reason to ban WEATHER radios, all they would do is benefit the controllers by making them more aware of what is going on in their area. Unions have a way of blowing things out of proportion, but I guess that's their job.

It sounds more like an oversight than anything, though the FAA is more to blame. It seems likely that they always got the weather warnings via radio. Once they were banned, they probably never thought about it. Regardless though, it is (IIRC) the responsibility of the FAA to make sure they have the required tools.

 

[BUTCH1]

I'll be booking my next trip out of orlando!