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FAA Breaks Ground on Air Traffic Control Tower in Frederick, Md. Paid For with Recovery Act Dollars

For Immediate Release
October 18, 2010

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced over $5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars will be used to build a new air traffic control tower at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md.

"General aviation plays such an important role at all levels of our nation’s economy," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Recovery Act projects are helping upgrade our aviation infrastructure so the system can continue to run safely and efficiently."

"These Recovery Act dollars will improve the safety and efficiency of Frederick’s airport while providing a boost to Maryland’s economy," said Michael Huerta, deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at a ground breaking ceremony.

The $5.3 million Recovery Act project will pay for the construction of an air traffic control tower, access road and other infrastructure at one of Maryland’s largest airports. The Frederick Municipal Airport currently does not have an air traffic control tower.

Approximately 200 aircraft are based at Frederick Municipal Airport, a reliever airport for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The airport handles more than 135,000 aircraft operations annually.

The Recovery Act has provided an additional $35 million in upgrades at airport runways and aircraft parking aprons in and around the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment and airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

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    NTSB Safety Recommendations A-10-159 through -168

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    Develop mission-specific operating standards for firefighter transport operations that include procedures for completing load calculations and verifying that actual aircraft performance matches predicted performance, require adherence to aircraft operating limitations, and detail the specific 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 regulations that are to be complied with by its contractors. (A-10-159)

    Require its contractors to conduct firefighter transport operations in accordance with the mission-specific operating standards specified in Safety Recommendation A-10-159. (A-10-160)

    Create an oversight program that can reliably monitor and ensure that contractors comply with the mission-specific operating requirements specified in Safety Recommendation A-10-159. (A-10-161)

    Provide specific training to inspector pilots on performance calculations and operating procedures for the types of aircraft in which they give evaluations. (A-10-162)

    Require a hover-out-of-ground-effect power check to be performed before every takeoff carrying passengers from helispots in confined areas, pinnacles, and ridgelines. (A-10-163)

    Review and revise policies regarding the type and use of gloves by firefighting personnel during transport operations, including but not limited to, compatibility with passenger restraints and opening emergency exits. (A-10-164) Review and revise your contract requirements for passenger transport by aircraft so that the requirement to install shoulder harnesses on passenger seats provides improved occupant crashworthiness protection consistent with the seat design. (A-10-165)

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    Lufthansa restructures passenger business organisation

    Stronger customer focus through more efficient structures / Divisionalisation strategy to be continued / Launch of “Future Berlin” project / Changes to take effect on 1 April 2011

    Lufthansa is restructuring its passenger business organisation to take account of the changing competitive landscape. The new, more customer-driven organisation will also allow the company to respond more effectively to market challenges. The aim is to sharpen the focus on customers and the competition while at the same simplifying and speeding up internal decision-making and management processes.
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    The re-allocation of responsibilities and new appointments to the Lufthansa German Airlines Board announced on 7 December 2010 will also become effective on 1 April. Captain Kay Kratky will then be responsible for the Frankfurt and Flight Operations division, Thomas Klühr for Munich and Direct Services and Jens Bischof for Sales and Revenue Management. Dr. Roland Busch will remain in charge of the Finance and Human Resources division. Carsten Spohr took up his position as a member of the Lufthansa Executive Board and, simultaneously, CEO Lufthansa German Airlines on 1 January.

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