GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -
Sequestration is sending pilots in north Georgia into a tailspin. Automatic federal budget cuts will stop the flow of funding to three regional airports.
The budget cuts will kick in next month at Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field.
Larry Youhanaian has only been flying for six years, so he depends on the tower to navigate an airfield with such a huge mixture of aircraft.
"I'm sure it is very important to keep the safety of the pilots by having a tower of controllers there to keep them separate from each other," Youhanaian said.
Even seasoned pilots with years of flying experience said they are concerned about losing the tower and relying solely on plane-to-plane communication.
Mike Mullett, the president of Laser Aviation has been flying for 35 years, and owns his own aviation company. He says there's nothing like having some well-trained eyes in a control tower to keep pilots safe on the ground and in the air.
"Every pilot is going to have to be much more vigilant, especially, when the weather poses a problem to navigation and aviation. It could pose some problems," Mullett said.
Fulton Charlie Brown Airport in Fulton County and Ben Epps Airport in Athens also face tower closures due to sequestration.
