Tue, Apr 02, 2024
Control Tower Barely Half of the Height it Should be by Modern Standards, Necessitating Full Fix
Building on the good news of a recent FAA grant, Kissimmee Florida's local airport has publicized their incoming control tower, which will be (hopefully) completed with the $1 million in federal funding.
Kissimmee Gateway Airport has been in need of a new tower, according to local Congressional Rep Darren Soto. He helped draw attention to the Kissimmee tower earlier this year, writing directly to FAA Administrator Micheal Whitaker. Soto was quite pleased to see the plans go through, since the older ATC tower doesn't meet FAA performance criteria. It stands at a very unimpressive height, resulting in a controller-eye level of only 43 feet above ground level. The new one will just about double that to 85 feet, allowing controllers hto have a commanding view over everything happening on the tarmac below.
“We are thrilled that Kissimmee Gateway Airport will be receiving $1 million from the FAA for design work to upgrade their control tower. We’ve previously secured federal funds to improve their taxiways, so it is encouraging to see the FAA continue investing in our local community. The airport has found an incredible niche locally in executive travel, flight training, and emergency evacuation routes,” said Congressman Soto. “I was proud to vote for the Infrastructure Law last Congress, which provided the FAA with billions of dollars to ensure safer skies and a brighter future for our community, where progress and prosperity soar hand in hand."
“The City of Kissimmee is very excited for the opportunity to design and replace the Kissimmee Gateway Airport Air Traffic Control Tower. The Kissimmee tower provides an extremely important service allowing various aviation uses to operate safely and efficiently in the Orlando Region.” Said Director of Aviation at Kissimmee Gateway Airport, Shaun Germolus “The City has spent years planning and preparing to construct a new tower to include a new location on the airport, doubling the height, and providing much-needed additional space for modern equipment and staffing functions. The ATCT project is part of a strategic plan to manage and greatly assist the significant growth forecasted for Kissimmee.”
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