JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --
Three very busy local airports are in danger of losing the hearts of their operations.
Their control towers are the first on the FAA's chopping block in the wake of extensive budget cuts.Pilots who fly big bucks to Northeast Florida every day, say they're worried about the financial impact.
"That's going to cost fuel costs and that unfortunately could drive prices up and that's not going to benefit us in any way," said Malone Air Inc. pilot Samantha Harrison.
But two local airports aren't going down without a fight.
In letters of appeal obtained by Action News, both Cecil Field and St. Augustine airports are making a final plea to the FAA to keep their towers, specifically citing homeland security as a major concern.
Craig Airfield may be the busiest airport in Jacksonville when it comes to flight traffic, but representatives from the Jacksonville Aviation Authority say it wasn't worth filing an appeal for Craig because it doesn't meet a "national need."
The FAA plans to announce which airports will lose their towers on Friday, and the towers are expected to close in April.
Most airports could still function without control towers.
Pilots would have to depend on communicating with each other to safely take off and land.
