New tower at EFD is set to be operational in Fall 2018
Ellington Airport continues to tower over the local landscape, and with good reason! 14 months removed from its ceremonial groundbreaking in April 2017, the new state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control tower is up and coming at Ellington.
The $12 million-plus project will replace the old tower, still in operation, which was built in 1955 and was which was structurally damaged during Hurricane Ike in 2008. The new tower is estimated to become operational in Fall 2018.
Arturo Machuca, General Manager at Ellington, is extremely pleased with the progress and the prospects for the new tower.
“This is a project that is very important in nature,” Arturo said. “The coordination between so many entities – our state, federal, and local governments along with the HAS – has been really exemplary. And of course, we have benefited greatly from the support of the local community.”
The new tower will stand 143 feet high, nearly twice as tall as the older structure. Necessity dictated the new tower be built in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, but Arturo said that it is loaded with features that make it a vast improvement over the older structure. Improvements include: 1) new radios to improve communications with planes, 2) an updated lighting control system, 3) an automated weather observation system, and 4) ability to provide mission control support for future Houston Spaceport operations.
The ATC tower supports the smart utilization of resources at Ellington, allowing for the conduct of efficient and safe operations – obviously desired at any airport. It has also had a positive economic impact on the area.
Initially established as a World War I training facility, Ellington Airport celebrated its 100th anniversary in April 2017. The facility is a vital, integral part of Houston’s rich aviation story and history. Unique unto itself, Ellington Airport supports the operations of the U.S. military, NASA, and a variety of general aviation tenants. The airport is home to the annual Wings Over Houston Airshow, is resident to astronaut training, and also houses the Lone Star Flight Museum which houses one of the finest aviation collections in the nation. Under Arturo’s leadership, Ellington is also home to the Houston Spaceport, the nation's 10th commercial spaceport.
The new tower will provide the sophisticated, cutting-edge support the Airport needs to support its partners and tenants!