New York ABC affiliate WABC-TV reported Thursday that the condition of electrical systems at JFK airport is causing concerns, particularly about lighting on runways and taxiways. Maintenance and restoration following salt-water damage from Hurricane Sandy has been ongoing since just after that storm hit in October 2012. Citing unnamed sources working at JFK, WABC reporter Jim Hoffer said those workers saw a system “so corroded by years of storms and poor maintenance that they fear a major meltdown.”
The problems have shown up in FAA notifications to pilots about out-of-service runway and taxiway lighting. Hoffer said JFK posted 76 such notices over the past four months.
The story quotes Port Authority officials including Thomas Bosco, Port Authority Aviation director, agreeing that system’s condition is a serious problem, but insisting that runways and taxiways at JFK are being operated safely.
“… it is a serious problem and that’s why we’re working 24/7 to correct it,” Bosco is quoted as saying.
WABC also reports, without citing a source, that in a recent FAA inspection, JFK got hit with 10 citations for safety deficiencies, half of those for lighting maintenance, which it said was more than LaGuardia and Newark Airport combined.
Although the lack of named sources for Hoffer’s more serious claims makes it difficult to judge the true severity of the situation, it’s clear to the Port Authority, pilots and all others involved that electrical system restoration and maintenance continue to be a critical priority at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
Read the original article at the WABC website: “Exclusive: Problems with runway lights at JFK Airport”
