|
|
|
CONTACTS:
785.827.3914,
trogers@salair.org
316.832.9733,
jim@jimgregoryworks.com NEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AT SLN Salina, KS – At 7:00 a.m. (CST), November 16, 2002, the Federal Aviation Administration's new $5.2 million air traffic control tower opened for business at the Salina Municipal Airport. At 7:16 a.m. (CST), a Learjet 60 was the first aircraft cleared to land at Salina for a mid-continent refueling stop. The new state-of-the-art control tower replaces a former U.S. Air Force structure constructed in 1955. The new tower's control cab is located 96 feet above ground level and provides air traffic controllers with a much improved view of runways, taxiways, and aircraft parking aprons. The old tower was 65 feet high at the tower cab. Construction on the new tower was started in late 2000 by the M.A. Mortenson Company. Mortenson finished construction in early 2002. FAA engineers and technicians then began to install the tower's new air traffic control equipment. The tower features the latest in safety and technology for a FAA air traffic control tower. Air traffic control services are provided by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service, Inc. as a part of the FAA's Contract Tower Program. Midwest controllers at Salina handle over 92,000 operations per year. Since 1996, takeoffs and landings at the Salina Airport have increased 50%. The new tower will enable controllers to provide more efficient and safer air traffic control services to a wide variety of air carrier, commercial, general aviation, military and government aircraft operators for decades to come. Formal dedication ceremonies will be held at a later date. |