Standard-Examiner: Ogden Control Tower’s Future in Limbo After FAA Postpones Decision

Standing by awaiting the next installment in this gripping Ogden City airport economic development disaster drama; but first, a few pertinent and probing questions

For those Weber County Forum readers sitting on the edges of their seats, breathlessly awaiting news about whether the Federal Aviation Administration will follow through with its federal budget sequester-propelled decision to shut down airport towers at 189 U.S. airports, including Ogden's own recently bustling "Ogden-Hinkley Field", the Standard-Examiner informs us that due to the frantic efforts of Ogden City airport officials (and at least one federal legislator), Ogden-Hinkley's projected tower closure has been postponed, at least for another couple of days:

• Ogden control tower’s future in limbo after FAA postpones decision

Mitch Shaw's March 21 story reports that Ogden-Hinkley Airport Manager Royal Eccles has been feverishly burning the midnight oil and has prepared and submitted a "detailed, nearly 2,000-word response to the FAA, answering the question of why an Ogden tower closure would adversely affect the national interest."

Rep. Bishop "weighs in"

Not to be outdone by the "local yokels," Congressional District 1 Dynamo Rob Bishop also took a little time off from his normal and pressing congressional duties (hammering President Obama), and encouragingly added his considerable political weight to to Eccles's "national security" argument, by firing off a stern letter to the FAA, adopting, cut-and-paste-style we presume,  most of Eccles' desperate and frenzied talking points, Mr. Shaw further reports.

We'll be be standing by awaiting the next installment in this gripping Ogden City airport economic development disaster drama of course; but in the meantime we'll open the WCF floor for discussion with a few pertinent and probing questions:

So what say our Gentle WCF Readers about all this?  Will Mr. Eccles' "personal job security interests" be ultimately protected right along with our America's "national security interests," with a last-minute reversal of the FAA's Ogden-Hinkley airport control tower closure plan? Will the FAA back down now that Congressman Bishop's taken to throwing his whopping political weight around? Will Ogden-Hinkley Airport survive long enough to ignore the airport tower closure kerfuffle, follow the Provo Airport's lead, adopt Provo's "full speed ahead approach" and commence commercial air service to more exotic travel destinations (such as Oakland, California) some time soon?

So many questions... so few answers... right?