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Sabotaged Air Traffic Center Reopening

CHICAGO (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says teams have completed testing on almost all critical systems and equipment at a sabotaged suburban Chicago air traffic control facility.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory said Sunday the work is on schedule for the facility to be up and running overnight after a two-week shutdown.

A full shift of air traffic controllers is returning to the center for the transition. Other sites will transfer control of airspace sectors back to the suburban Chicago center after midnight.

The facility in Aurora was closed down Sept. 26 when authorities say a contract employee cut cables and set fire to a basement telecommunications room. The disruption forced an hours-long shutdown of O'Hare and Midway international airports and resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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