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			 Making these adjustments allows for continued safe 
			operations throughout the national airspace system while minimizing 
			health risks to our workforce. The FAA plans to begin making control 
			tower hour adjustments on Monday, April 27 and complete the process 
			within about a week. 
			 
			These facilities have seen a significant reduction in flights, 
			especially during the evening and nighttime hours, since the 
			pandemic began. Adjusting the operating hours will further protect 
			our employees and reduce the possibility of temporary tower closures 
			from COVID-19 exposures by ensuring enough controllers are available 
			to staff the facilities during peak hours. It also will enable us to 
			allocate difficult-to-source supplies where they are most needed. 
			
			  
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            Most of the towers are historically closed at night, 
			during which time the radar facility with oversight assumes the 
			airspace. The FAA expects the adjustments will not have any 
			operational effects. The agency plans to begin adjusting facility 
			hours later this month. 
			 
			The FAA will continue to monitor traffic volume at all of these 
			facilities and may make future adjustments to operating hours as 
			appropriate. 
			 
			For additional information on adjustments to control tower operating 
			hours, as well other regulatory updates due to coronavirus, go to:
			
			https://www.faa. 
			gov/coronavirus/regulatory_updates/
			 
            [FAASafety.gov]  |