Bend Municipal Airport celebrates grand opening of new air traffic control tower

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend Municipal Airport celebrated a major milestone Thursday with the grand opening of its new air traffic control tower.

The City of Bend held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning, Oct. 29, followed by public tours of the new facility. Visitors had the opportunity to step inside the tower and take in views overlooking the airfield.

The approximately 115-foot-tall tower is designed to improve aviation safety and make air traffic operations more efficient at one of Oregon’s busiest airports.

Before the addition of the tower, pilots relied on radio communication with one another to coordinate takeoffs, landings and other aircraft movements. The new facility is intended to provide an additional layer of safety through air traffic control services.

According to the city, the tower’s design cost approximately $1.6 million, with construction costing about $9.1 million. The project was funded primarily through a combination of federal and state grants.

The facility includes four air traffic controller workstations, communications and weather monitoring equipment, a backup generator and other systems needed to support airport operations.

The project involved collaboration between the city, the Federal Aviation Administration, the State of Oregon, Deschutes County and other partners.

City officials say the tower will help strengthen Bend Municipal Airport’s role as a transportation and economic asset for Central Oregon.