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By Doug Cunningham

Just hours after last Friday’s scramble by Jacksonville air traffic controllers to recover from equipment failure, Palm Beach’s tower lost all radar and communications, forcing another dangerous, tense scramble. The Air Traffic Controller’s Association says the Palm Beach emergency demonstrates the danger in an FAA plan to consolidate the Miami and Palm Beach facility, managing more air traffic with fewer controllers and less equipment. The union says redundant systems are good for air safety and shouldn’t be cost-cutting targets.