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Mofaz: Tower too short
Photo: Ofer Amram
Photo: Tani Goldstein
Ben-Gurion tower: Recipe for disaster?
Photo: Tani Goldstein

Mofaz declares control tower emergency

Transportation Minister Mofaz calls special meeting of the Aviation Security Forum Monday after problems with Ben-Gurion Airport tower. Forum concludes control tower must be moved and elevated

The current control tower at Ben-Gurion International Airport does not provide for full supervision over events on the ground and must thus be relocated and elevated - this was the conclusion reached in a special Monday meeting of the Aviation Security Forum called by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz.

 

"This is a state of emergency and everything must be done to prevent disasters that result from the tower's design," Mofaz told the forum.

 

In Monday's meeting, the forum's members determined that the Ben-Gurion control tower is incapable of providing its operators with a conclusive picture of the airport. They claim that the problem stems from the placement of the tower and its low height of only 40 meters. Forum members concluded that the tower requires an additional 30 meters if was is to function properly.

 

The tower's location and height have already caused serious operational errors at the airport. Recently, an airplane almost landed while another prepared for take-off, and control-tower operators could not see what was happening because of the tower's aforementioned physical dimensions. Only thanks to the resourcefulness of one of the pilots was certain disaster narrowly avoided.

 

Mofaz instructed the forum to find an alternative site for the control tower within two months, and also to examine the possibility of elevating the tower but leaving it in its current location.

 

The minister demanded that the problem be resolved within a year, and ordered the Israel Airports Authority to equip control tower operators within three months with cameras and other technological equipment to bring into their field of vision airplanes which are not currently visible from the tower's current location.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.24.07, 19:34
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