[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO THE BOSTON AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER IN NASHUA FOR 
        WINNING THE NATIONAL EN ROUTE FACILITY OF THE YEAR AWARD

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center [ARTCC] in Nashua, NH. The 
Boston ARTCC won the National En Route Facility of the Year Award, for 
which I offer my warmest congratulations. This is certainly an 
accomplishment of which they should be very proud and I salute them for 
their achievement.
  The National En Route Facility of the Year Award is presented 
annually to an Air Route Traffic Control Center which has made a 
significant contribution to the National Air Traffic Control System. 
The Boston ARTCC provides air traffic control service to commercial, 
military, and private aircraft in all of New England and most of New 
York State. This facility is 1 of 20 ARTCC facilities throughout the 
continental U.S., along with 3 in Honolulu, Guam, and San Juan.
  The Boston ARTCC is responsible for handling flights from all six New 
England States, eastern New York State, extreme northeastern 
Pennsylvania, and coastal waters to 6700 west longitude. This is an 
enormous area, amounting to an area of 125,000 square miles. Within 
this impressive area, there are 30 positions of operation and the 
Boston ARTCC coordinates with 7 other centers from Montreal to 
Washington. Each year, the Boston ARTCC performs 1,620,000 operations 
in this region. Their facility operates with 290 active controllers, 12 
controller trainees, 62 support staff, and 95 technicians. With 
extensive radar systems, radio facilities, a high tech computer system 
and enough telephone equipment to serve a city of 10,000 people, the 
Boston ARTCC is a model of efficiency.
  Centers like the Boston ARTCC are becoming vital to our country's 
infrastructure with ever increasing air traffic. With a center like 
this running so efficiently, we can rest easier and know that flights 
to and from the east coast are safe and on time. Excellence and 
dedication like theirs deserves to be recognized and applauded. I am 
proud to commend the Boston ARTCC, the many air travelers in New 
Hampshire join me in wishing them congratulations and best 
wishes

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