All communications between 1300Z to 1900Z with silences trimmed giving a playing time of 64 minutes.
Evacuation of the control tower due to flooding occurs around the 15 minute mark.
I suppose the situation was pretty unusual but I have to say there does appear to have been a lack of coordinated remedial action which led to some obvious frustration on the part of aircrew about the time taken to get departures underway.
This FAA Statement is copied from the Austin Airport Official Website
The Austin Air Traffic Control Tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control facility sustained water damage during flooding from today’s heavy rain. Air traffic controllers are providing limited services while the damage is being assessed.
The Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center, which normally controls high-altitude traffic over the area, is providing radar separation for flights in the Austin area.
Repairs to the facility are likely to take some time to complete. The FAA is evaluating options for providing longer term radar services for lower-altitude aircraft from another facility. Meanwhile, the agency is bringing in a portable air traffic control tower from storage in Kansas City. That temporary tower should arrive at the airport sometime late Saturday and is expected be operational sometime Monday.
For safety reasons, the FAA has increased the spacing between aircraft using Austin Bergstrom International Airport, which could result in delays during busy periods. Passengers should contact their airlines for information about specific flights.
