The Federal Aviation Administration has dedicated the newest air traffic control tower in the US at Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in North Carolina.
This is the first FAA project to have been led by an all-women team of engineers throughout its design, procurement and construction.
FAA Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims said:In North Carolina where there are many aviation firsts, this is a notable moment. The new tower will allow the airport to keep up with the increased demand in and out of this busy region.
The Senator Kay Hagan Air Traffic Control Tower is 180 feet tall, with a 550-square-foot cab to accommodate up to eight air traffic controllers.
The 15,650-square-foot base houses the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) with up to 10 radar positions. This controls airspace within a 60-mile radius of the airport.
GSO Executive Director Kevin J. Baker said:The new tower is critical to the airport’s continuing mission to be a place of aerospace economic development. It enables the growth of the airport’s footprint and at the same time provides increased safety and efficiency of operations.
Construction on the tower began in April 2019, and it became operational in late September 2022. The project cost approximately 58 million USD.
The new facility at GSO is the second control tower commissioned in North Carolina this year, as the tower at Charlotte Douglas International Airport became operational in February 2022.
