The United States’ latest airport control building is not only named after an influential woman, It was also built by an all-woman team.
Piedmont Triad International Airport’s (GSO) Senator Kay Hagan Air Traffic Control Tower was also female-led in its design, procurement and construction stages.
Today, we are proud to announce that the FAA will dedicate the all-new air traffic control building at PTI airport – the first of its kind to be designed, procured, and constructed by an all-woman engineering team. pic.twitter.com/HYhffsexkk
— PTI Airport (GSO) (@flyfrompti) November 15, 2022
The new tower is 180 feet tall, with a 550-square-foot cab to accommodate up to eight positions for air traffic controllers.
The 15,650-square-foot base houses the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) with up to 10 radar positions.
The TRACON controls airspace within a 60-mile radius of the airport that includes 20 general aviation airports. It is equipped with the latest communications and navigation technology.
“In North Carolina where there are many aviation firsts, this is a notable moment,” FAA deputy administrator A. Bradley Mims said in a statement.
“The new tower will allow the airport to keep up with the increased demand in and out of this busy region,” Mims added.
In 2020, the United States Congress passed legislation to name the new tower after the late US Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina.
Senator Hagan’s efforts helped provide the funding for the tower’s construction.