SAWYER, MI-- The air traffic control tower at Sawyer International Airport is one of six in Michigan slated to close early next month as the Federal Aviation Administration shuts off funding for the service.
The shutdowns are part of the FAA's move to reduce spending by $600 million under automatic federal budget cuts. They affect mostly small- and medium-size airports.
Sawyer Manager Duane Duray says the airport would continue to operate if the tower were to shut down, but it would lose one of its levels of safety. Duray believes any shutdown would be temporary.
Other Michigan airports set to lose tower services are in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, Jackson, and Muskegon County.
