COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Federal budget cuts will force the shutdown of control towers at three small Ohio airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration target list of towers to close includes the Ohio State University and Bolton Field airports in Columbus and the Cuyahoga County Airport in suburban Cleveland. The airports will remain open.
In all, the FAA says 149 towers run under contract for the agency will close beginning April 7 under mandated spending cuts.
Ohio State said it plans to self-fund tower operations at its airport into May to avoid service disruption to flight education students and corporate and private operators who use the airport on a regular basis.
The Cleveland-area airport is owned by Cuyahoga County. County Executive Ed FitzGerald calls the tower shutdown a mistake that could have serious consequences.