Posted on: Thursday, January 10, 2002

FAA to dedicate air traffic control facility

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Federal Aviation Administration tomorrow will dedicate its year-old $56 million, state-of-the-art Honolulu Control Facility that consolidates several air traffic control operations once spread across the island.

The facility was designed to enhance the FAA's ability to provide safe, secure and efficient movement of air traffic, said FAA spokesman Jerry Snyder. The services provided at the facility include the control of air traffic, arrivals, departures and over-flights in and around Hawai'i's airports, as well as aircraft from the Mainland, Asia, South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

Two of the facility's functions include the Honolulu Center Radar Approach Control and the Operational Support Facility, both previously in Diamond Head Crater. The old facility was built in 1958, but was torn down last summer and the land turned over to the state. The year-old facility is adjacent to the Honolulu International Airport terminal.

The operations previously in Diamond Head were consolidated with the airport's air traffic control tower and terminal radar approach control, improving safety and efficiency, Snyder said.

"Not having them separated by miles makes it easier to coordinate each of their jobs," said Jerry Snyder. "Anytime that you use state-of-the-art equipment and couple that with better efficiency you're improving the safety because you're able to now monitor aircraft better and more accurately."

Snyder said an improved air traffic control system was needed because of the increase in flights in and out of Honolulu. Last year, air traffic controllers in Honolulu handled more than 814,000 takeoffs and landings, compared with 485,742 in 1995, he said.

In addition to the new facility, the airport's 18-year-old tower also was renovated, Snyder said.