Pittsburgh airport gets tower award

IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) -- A record that includes few flight delays and no runway accidents has earned Pittsburgh International Airport's control tower the title of best tower in the country.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday gave its 2001 Facility of the Year award to its 142 employees at the Pittsburgh air traffic control tower.
"When it came time to make a selection, Pittsburgh hands down was a clear winner," said Frank Hatfield, the FAA's air traffic division manager in its eastern region.
The tower handles about 1,500 flights daily, making it the 17th busiest tower nationwide last year. But it had one of the lowest delay rates, with about four delays per 1,000 flights. There were also no runway accidents at Pittsburgh International last year.
Pittsburgh's tower handles air traffic to more than 57 airports and heliports in the region and is the largest FAA hub in the east.