State-Of-The-Art Facility Cost $6.3M Incl. Equipment

The new Oshkosh control tower was dedicated Friday morning by a plethora of federal and local officials.

After some opening remarks by Great Lakes Regional Administrator Barry Cooper, both EAA President Tom Poberezny and FAA Acting Adminstrator Robert Sturgell spoke of the beautiful new facility and the commanding view from the top. Mark Harris, Winnebago County Executive, thanked the FAA for funding the tower and remarked how happy the citizens of Winnebago County are to have a new facility with no additional taxes.

A plaque was presented to Lake Hub Manager -- and, during AirVenture, Oshkosh Tower Manager -- Wanda Adelman, dedicating it as of August 1, and the ribbon was cut in commemoration of the event.

As previously reported, the new control tower is 141 feet tall with a base building of 8827 square feet made of precast concrete walls. Designed by Omnni Associates of Appleton, WI with the general contractors Miron Construction Company of Neenah, Wisconsin, it is a state-of-the-art facility that makes the old tower seem small, decrepit, and outdated by comparison.

With a construction cost of about $4 million, the total pricetag including equipment and furnishings is roughly $6.3 million. The money was provided to the state by a block grant from the FAA, which is then passed on to the county to pay the contractors.

Originally planned to be located in the Fly Market area, the new location to the southeast was selected by computer-generated siting, accomplished in the labs of the FAA Technical Center, Atlantic City, NJ. The people flow through the tower cab and the increased space makes for a much more efficient operation, especially during AirVenture when it's normal to have 12 people in the cab at any time.

The conference room in the base building allows for the pre- and post-shift briefings between the FAA and EAA flightline personnel. It is a very functional and modern facility, that will be used for many years.

FMI: www.faa.gov