FAA to fund enhancements to ATC towers at 20 small US airports

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US is awarding $20 million to 20 airport-owned airport traffic control towers across the country, spanning 17 states.

The funding will be used to upgrade existing or build new control towers, delivering on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda that is rebuilding our infrastructure in every corner of the country.

This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law goes to smaller and regional airports to improve safety and support critical aviation operations such as commercial passenger flights, cargo flights, emergency services, agricultural aviation, and flight training.

“The announcement is another example of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to modernising America’s aviation system and keeping it safe and efficient for generations to come,” said US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg.

“With funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re helping modernise air traffic control towers in smaller communities that have not always received adequate resources from Washington, DC.”

While the FAA’s Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta Griffin, noted: “These investments expand the resources available to airports and help ensure airport traffic control towers across the country and the men and women who work in them are able to effectively do their jobs and communicate with pilots.

“Not only does this help improve safety at our airports, but it creates good-paying jobs and helps boost local economies.”

Airports set to receive the funding include Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, awarded $2 million to part fund the construction of a replacement ATCT and Cheyenne Regional Airport in Wyoming, awarded $850,000 to help finance ATCT building improvements.

The funding is from the FAA’s Airport Infrastructure Grants Federal Contract Tower Competitive Grant programme, and comes on the heels of nearly $1 billion in funding for 114 airports across the country through the Airport Terminals Program.

These grants continue efforts to improve safety by upgrading and building control towers in small towns and at regional airports to sustain, construct, repair, improve, modernize, replace or relocate airport-owned towers and install communications equipment.