Regulatory Alert: FAA to Restore Normal Operating Hours at ATC Facilities with Temporarily Adjusted Hours
February 22, 2021
This afternoon the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed AAAE that the agency is moving all of its air traffic control (ATC) facilities back to normal operating hours by March 28, or even sooner in some cases. Throughout the past year, the FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) has been monitoring traffic volumes and evaluating measures to support the return of normal operating hours at ATC facilities where hours were temporarily adjusted in spring 2020 to reflect the drop in air traffic levels. This is a positive development for airports, particularly those where hours had not been fully restored despite increased traffic volume.
By way of background, in April 2020, FAA announced that the agency was reducing the hours of operation at 93 ATC facilities nationwide. The number was reduced from an initial list of 115 facilities after the agency consulted with industry, including AAAE. FAA's decision last April was based on hourly aircraft counts and safety during non-towered times; air carrier, air taxi and special operations; ability of the workforce to social distance and reduce exposure; savings of supplies; and infrastructure constraints. While some facilities had their hours completely restored this past fall, others have only had a portion of their facilities hours return. AAAE has been urging FAA to restore hours as quickly as possible as air traffic levels increased and started to approach pre-pandemic levels. 
AAAE will continue to monitor developments as FAA moves to restore normal hours of operations at affected ATC facilities. If you have feedback or questions, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org. 
This afternoon the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed AAAE that the agency is moving all of its air traffic control (ATC) facilities back to normal operating hours by March 28, or even sooner in some cases. Throughout the past year, the FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) has been monitoring traffic volumes and evaluating measures to support the return of normal operating hours at ATC facilities where hours were temporarily adjusted in spring 2020 to reflect the drop in air traffic levels. This is a positive development for airports, particularly those where hours had not been fully restored despite increased traffic volume.
By way of background, in April 2020, FAA announced that the agency was reducing the hours of operation at 93 ATC facilities nationwide. The number was reduced from an initial list of 115 facilities after the agency consulted with industry, including AAAE. FAA's decision last April was based on hourly aircraft counts and safety during non-towered times; air carrier, air taxi and special operations; ability of the workforce to social distance and reduce exposure; savings of supplies; and infrastructure constraints. While some facilities had their hours completely restored this past fall, others have only had a portion of their facilities hours return. AAAE has been urging FAA to restore hours as quickly as possible as air traffic levels increased and started to approach pre-pandemic levels. 
AAAE will continue to monitor developments as FAA moves to restore normal hours of operations at affected ATC facilities. If you have feedback or questions, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org. 
