http://www.newsday.com/ap/topnews/ap544.htm

By MEKI COX, Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The director of aviation for the Philadelphia International Airport was fired Monday as federal officials looked into the airport's radar tracking system, which malfunctioned last week.

Mayor John F. Street's decision to dismiss Alfred Testa Jr. came 10 months after his appointment by then-Mayor Edward G. Rendell. It was effective immediately.

The dismissal not related to Friday's radar problems, which the Federal Aviation Administration oversees, city spokeswoman Barbara Grant said.

''Although the decision came down today, it was not made today. The mayor made the decision some time ago,'' Grant said.

Testa's attorney, Geoff Johnson, declined to comment.

Testa's dismissal came after an announcement that the FAA would send a five-member team to Philadelphia Tuesday to investigate the radar system's problems.

The control tower's automatic radar system shut down temporarily Friday after three circuit cards malfunctioned in one of the system's eight processors of the computer's mainframe.

AP-NY-03-13-00 2111EST< 

-- viewer (justp@ssing.by), March 13, 2000