Tampa
- "Ground radar system needed at TIA, union says" - St. Petersburg Times - Nov. 3, 2005 - Circulation: 337,515
- "TIA misses out on obtaining advanced radar" - Tampa Tribune - Nov. 3, 2005 - Circulation: 252,000
Television/Radio
- FOX - Estimated Audience: 496,858 - Nov. 2 and 3, 2005
- CBS - Estimated Audience: 300,640 - Nov. 2 and 3, 2005
- ABC - Estimated Audience: 180,670 - Nov. 2 and 3, 2005
- NBC - Estimated Audience: 291,842 - Nov. 2, 2005
- Local Cable - Nov. 3, 2005
- TOTAL ESTIMATED AUDIENCE COVERAGE: 1,270,010
St. Petersburg Times (Florida): Ground radar system needed at TIA, union says
Thursday, November 03, 2005
The Times reports, "The group that represents air traffic controllers says there is a safety shortfall in Tampa...Radar keeps an eye on the skies in Tampa, but air traffic controllers need binoculars to scan the ground for planes that might be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mistakes would be less likely if the Federal Aviation Administration bought TIA an $8.5-million airport surface detection system known as ASDE-X, which would track planes on the ground, said Tom McCormick, a controller and vice president of the Tampa branch of the National Air Traffic Control Association..."When humans are involved, pilots, even air traffic controllers can make mistakes," McCormick said at a news conference Wednesday."
Tampa Tribune (Florida): TIA misses out on obtaining advanced radar
Thursday, November 03, 2005
The Tribune reports, "The Federal Aviation Administration identified 15 U.S. airports Wednesday to get advanced radar to reduce the risk of collisions on runways and taxiways. Tampa International Airport was not included. Airports that will get the ASDE-X radar system, which costs about $ 8.5 million each, range from New York to Los Angeles. Currently, three airports, including Orlando International, operate the advanced radar that helps air traffic controllers prevent ground accidents in clear and bad weather...The local air traffic controllers union said it seeks the new ground radar to enhance observations now made through a pair of binoculars. 'It's all about money,' said Pat McCormick, a Tampa controller and a vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. 'They gave the controller who prevented the Aug. 23 incident a certificate for $20 to Macaroni Grill.'...'We are trying to educate the public that the controller's association has concerns about the FAA's failure to modernize its technology and to contend with major staffing shortages around the country,' McCormick said."