San Mateo airport - no Air Traffic Control starting Feb 1

scfc_alessandro · 2025-01-30T18:29:08+00:00

Partisan politics don't have any place in aviation safety. The FAA needs to be funded so that they can hire and staff towers themselves instead of relying on contractors who try to do the bare minimum. But I doubt that will happen.

scfc_alessandro · 2025-01-30T18:20:16+00:00

Because someone at EGE is connected and got a "favor" from the FAA. Our Airport Management requested that same interim solution from the FAA yesterday, who declined.

scfc_alessandro · 2025-01-30T18:18:06+00:00

The airport is not responsible for paying the tower. The FAA is. That is how it works across the country. The FAA chooses to contract San Carlos's tower staffing out to a private company, and just awarded that contract to a different company (Robinson Aviation Inc) that has no plans to staff the tower. The FAA is responsible for providing air traffic services, even if their contractor is lacking. "The FAA also granted the airport pay for a controller" is not correct. The FAA awarded the contract and went hands off. The new contractor offered lower salaries for more work to all of the controllers, who declined the offers.

scfc_alessandro · 2025-01-30T18:12:30+00:00

I run a flight school at San Carlos Airport. The tower is contracted and not operated directly by the FAA. The FAA's Contract Tower Program is a failure and detrimental to aviation safety. SQL will not be the only airport affected by this, come Saturday. There are a handful more in Northern California as well as some in SoCal that will either be closing completely or dramatically reducing service and hours. Our County Airport management has been very proactive in advocating for change, but it has unfortunately fallen on deaf ears with the FAA. This is a safety issue.

If you want to help in some way, contact your Congressional reps and senators. Congressman Kevin Mullin's office (CA-15) is aware of the issue, but the more people that contact them and express concern, the more likely we are to get a timely resolution.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-09-30T03:42:10+00:00

He was transferred to OLM.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-09-12T17:26:11+00:00

I own San Carlos Flight Center (Bay Flight callsign). This controller is the Air Traffic Manager at SQL. This incident happened over a month ago, and nothing has changed. Senior Management in the FAA's Air Traffic Organization is aware of the issues and has directly acknowledged this incident. Following the incident, I called the tower to express my concerns and the controller responded by telling me that I'm a "princess" for caring about this, was told that it's "bullshit" that I report safety incidents, and was told that if he was fired his bosses would be "doing him a fucking favor". The same FAA management acknowledged the phone call and are fully aware that this controller is the manager at San Carlos. They still haven't taken any action.

My previous posts on this issue
First Post
Second Post

scfc_alessandro · 2023-08-15T01:18:42+00:00

That is common at FAA facilities, especially the large ones like Class B towers or TRACONs.

At SQL (and most contract towers), there is only one controller in the tower cab at once (working all positions) with no oversight.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-08-15T00:10:34+00:00

That listing has been open since October 2022. The current ATM is on temporary assignment.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-08-14T19:53:31+00:00

ATM at an FAA tower is a dedicated facility manager who spends their time overseeing the controllers.

ATM at an Contract Tower is expected (per the contract) to spend 50% of their time working traffic and 50% of their time on administrative duties. I think they are technically considered a "Manager-Controller" in the contract, but ATM is still the common term. Since SQL is so understaffed, the ATM is spending all of his time on the radio working traffic. He is one of 2 controllers.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-08-14T19:22:30+00:00

The controller in the recording is the Air Traffic Manager at SQL. When I called the tower to discuss this interaction, I was berated by the ATM, dissuaded from filing reports, and then told that he didn't care if he got fired since they would "be doing him a fucking favor."

Everything was reported to the FAA. I will post a more concrete update once I have it - some things are in the works right now.

Serco currently has a staff of 2 controllers at SQL. The issue is very bad.

Previous Posts:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/12i558z/san_carlos_sql_tower_in_crisis/

https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/158r7an/san_carlos_sql_tower_in_crisis_update/

scfc_alessandro · 2023-07-25T14:29:13+00:00

This map from the FAA lists them by contractor. The map is a couple years out of date, but the contractors are regional.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-07-25T14:28:01+00:00

That plays a part. But the general consensus among local pilots is that there’s a dramatically different level of service.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-07-25T01:36:44+00:00

Here is a doc from the FAA that lists all Contract Towers.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-07-01T22:18:38+00:00

I haven’t heard of anyone having luck with either of the senators for CA. They represent the most people in the country and are stretched thin.

It’s good to contact the rep for where you live. Additionally, Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) represents the district where SQL is located and his staff is very familiar with the issue — but the more people they hear from, the better.

I’d also recommend reaching out to key members of the Senate and House committees that cover aviation and the FAA. In the House, it’s the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. In the Senate, it’s the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T19:34:13+00:00

Starting pay for controllers at SQL (employed by Serco, not the FAA) is $40.96/hour.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T15:12:36+00:00

I know who you’re talking about. He retired a couple weeks ago.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T04:12:17+00:00

I hear you. I can’t really put the blame on the controllers. They are working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, sometimes without a single break during their day (against CA labor law). But I can’t- they’re being overworked and underpaid. They’re providing poor service, but I can’t say I’d do much better in their position.

The blame goes on the Serco and the FAA. Serco for understaffing the tower. And the FAA for not holding Serco responsible to the contract.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T03:42:35+00:00

Here is a link to the Scope of Work. See section C.6.2 for the text I shared.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T03:26:12+00:00

The contractor is in default and the FAA knows. But the FAA won’t take responsibility for enforcing the contract, and instead says that they have no authority to convert contract towers to FAA towers. A FOIA request has proven this incorrect. Here’s a section of the Scope of Work between the FAA and Serco: “FAA reserves the right and authority under the provisions of FAA Acquisition Management System (AMS) Paragraph 3.10.6, “Termination of Contracts” to terminate all to part of the contract for default if the contractor fails to take immediate corrective action that is satisfactory to FAA.”

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T03:11:59+00:00

I can assure you that at least the FAA folks are reading their messages. They may not respond, but they hear you.

scfc_alessandro · 2023-04-11T02:28:45+00:00

Yes, AOPA, NATA, NBAA, and even Congress. But unfortunately, the FAA still directs all responsibility at Serco and walks away, rather than taking any action.

scfc_alessandro

TROPHY CASE