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Federal officials want to shut down the air traffic control towers at Columbia Regional Airport and Jefferson City Memorial Airport because of forced budget cuts in Washington.

The Jefferson City airport will close on April 7, while there has not yet been official word on if the Columbia airport will close on that date, too.

The proposal calls for the closure of 173 small- and medium-sized airport towers across the country.

If the Columbia tower closes, then pilots would get directions from air traffic controllers in Kansas City and Springfield.

Businessman J. Paul O’Haro said he would still feel safe flying at Columbia’s airport without an operational control tower.

O’Haro said, “It doesn’t appear that it will impact us.  It’s automated, anyway.  Everything is electronic.  They can monitor it from Kansas City as they’ve talked about.”

The plan also calls for the furlough of some FAA employees and the elimination of midnight shifts at some of the remaining towers.