Washington D.C. (June 19, 2006) The Salina Municipal Airport Air Traffic Control Tower received the 2006 Willie F. Card Federal Aviation Administration Contract Tower Service Award for excellent customer service and safety. Midwest Air Traffic Control Services, Inc, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan. operates the tower for the FAA.

"We are delighted that our team at Salina Municipal Airport's control tower has received this award that highlights their dedication to customer service and reflects their unyielding commitment to aviation safety as is repeatedly demonstrated in every control tower operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Services, Inc.," said Shane Cordes, President and CEO of Air Traffic Control Services.

Bobby Sturgell (left), Deputy Administrator for the FAA, presented the award to the Salina Municipal Airport's Air Traffic Control Tower manager Bruce Boyle and Salina Airport Authority Executive Director Tim Rogers, A.A.E at the FAA Contract Tower Program Workshop in Washington D.C. on June 19, 2006.

The prestigious award is presented annually to the airport and FAA contract tower that best exemplify excellence in customer service and safety in the contract tower industry. The award is named in honor of Willie F. Card, who managed the FAA contract tower program from 1998 until 2002.

The Willie F. Card Award is given to the FAA federal contract tower that exemplifies his vision to provide excellent air traffic control services for safety and customer service to all stakeholders in the local aviation community, delivered with a professional and courteous attitude.

The American Association of Airport Executives and its affiliate, the U. S. Contract Tower Association, bestow the aviation award. The winner is selected by judges who represent the FAA's Contract Tower Program Office, the Tower Association Policy Board, The National Business Aviation Association, the National Air Transportation Association and the Regional Airline Association.

"The American Association of Airport Executives and our affiliate organization -- the U.S. Contract Tower Association -- are honored to present the 2006 Willie F. Card Contract Tower Services Award to the Salina Airport Authority and the Salina Contract Tower," said Spencer Dickerson, senior executive vice president of the airport executives and executive director of the Contract Tower Association. "The professional work and superb customer service provided by controllers at the Salina tower each and every day clearly exemplify the spirit and intent of the Willie Card Award."

Salina Municipal Airport Air Traffic Control Tower has provided world-class service on a daily basis to a variety of pilots with diverse needs. They range from Kansas State University at Salina student-pilots to the stringent demands of the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer international aerospace project that set three world records flying from the Salina Airport.

Notes to Editors: The American Association of Airport Executives, founded in 1928, is the largest professional organization for airport executives in the world, representing thousands of airport management personnel at public use airports of all sizes. The American Association of Airport Executives created the U. S. Contract Tower Association in 1996 to promote the FAA contract tower program and to enhance aviation safety at smaller airports. There are 231 FAA Contract Towers.

Midwest Air Traffic Control was formed in 1978. The company is headquartered in Overland Park, Kan. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Midwest increased its capabilities in permanent tower design, contract air traffic control services, weather reporting and navigational aid maintenance. In 1982, Midwest Air Traffic Control was involved in the first-ever contract tower funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. Midwest controls more than three million aircraft movements annually at over 60 facilities in the United States and abroad.

Salina Municipal Airport is home base for numerous aviation businesses and operations. These include America Jet, Aerospace Systems & Technologies, Inc., EagleMed air ambulance, Kansas Wing Headquarters - Civil Air Patrol, Flower Aviation, Kansas Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility, Kansas State University at Salina, Kansas Highway Patrol Aviation,Professional Flight Training, LC, Raytheon Aircraft Company - Salina Division, Salina Aircraft Services, Wells Aircraft, Inc., and the corporate flight departments for ADM Milling Company, Blue Beacon International, Geoprobe Systems, Pepsi Cola - Salina, Plains Environmental, Premier Pneumatics, Inc., and Bradley Trucking Co.

The SLN Aviation Service Center has available hangar space and room for growth to accommodate a wide array of aviation related industries. The SLN Air Traffic Control Tower logs more than 86,000 annual aircraft operations. Two FBOs annually deliver over 4 million gallons of aviation fuel to the aircraft using the Salina Municipal Airport. For more information regarding expansion opportunities at "The SLN Aviation Service Center," contact us at 785.827.3914 or visit the available properties link at www.salinaair port.com

Laura Robertson

Marketing and Public Relations Specialist

email: laurar@salair.org

phone: 785.827.3914

James Gregory Consultancy

James Gregory

email: jim@jimgregoryworks.com

telephone: 316.832.9733