Comments about ‘Allegiant to add Provo-Bay Area flights, despite possible tower closure’

When it comes to flying 30,000 feet in the air and at 500 miles an hour, I don't scrimp to save money.

A control tower is NOT absolutely necessary at either Ogden or Provo airports. Although it requires more vigilance and attention by pilots, most airports operate without tower control.

Pilots using the airport communicate with one another using what's called a Common Area Communication Frequency or UNICOM. Ogden's tower, for example, operates only between the hours of 0600 and 2000 every day. At other times, pilots use UNICOM. That means we announce our location and intentions while flying a prescribed pattern around the airport. Other pilots know where to look for us and what we plan to do next. It works very well.

There is no need to push the panic button over the loss of either of these towers. Unless, of course, you want to do some political bashing exercises and try to panic voters into thinking your way.