Wiesbaden Army Airfield’s new air traffic control tower makes major progress

Photo By Connie Dickey | The top of the new air traffic control tower, the cap, was lifted by crane to the new structure on Nov. 9 at the Wiesbaden Army Airfield.  

WIESBADEN, HESSEN, GERMANY

11.09.2021

Story by Connie Dickey 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

WIESBADEN, Germany – The U. S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Army Airfield is getting a new air traffic control tower and a capping ceremony was held Nov. 9 signifying a major milestone in the project’s completion.

The current air traffic control tower dates back to 1949. According to Antonnio Boone, the air traffic control tower chief and air traffic and airspace officer, the Directorate of Public Works has forgone any construction or renovation on it since 1965.

“The (current) facility is in a severely derogated stated, does not meet modern equipment or aviation, Occupational Safety or Health code requirements,” he said.

The planning for the new tower began in 2012-13, when then Wiesbaden Airfield Division Chief, Norbert Violette, started work to get funding and collaboration with the architect to get tower design approvals.

Violette said even though it was a long process getting the project going, tenacity and focus were keys to get it moving forward. He said the personnel at the Directorate of Public Works were supportive and without them, the project would have been harder.

Because of delays and other complications, Boone said the cost of the new tower is $12 million. “The new facility will allow for the efficient management of airspace and the orderly expeditious movement of air traffic in support of U.S. Army Europe-Africa,” he said.

“U.S. Army Europe-Africa’s intent is to construct a sustainable air traffic control facility, which will accommodate required current and future ATC equipment and operations well into the next century,” he said.

With the tower cap now in place, the project will continue additional interior work, aiming for project completion in September 2022.

• Date Taken: 11.09.2021
• Date Posted: 11.09.2021 06:30
• Story ID: 408963
• Location: WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE