The Asheville Regional Airport opened a new 121-foot air traffic control tower to replace the old facility built in 1961, the Federal Aviation Administration announced recently.
The new facility will give controllers a modern workspace to support the growing demand for air traffic across western North Carolina, officials said. Air carrier operations at Asheville Regional Airport have increased by more than 300 percent in the past decade, making it the third busiest airport in that state. The new tower provides controllers with improved visibility while positioning the airport for continued growth.
“Air traffic controllers need modern infrastructure and technology to keep up with growing demand,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024, our controllers managed a dramatic increase in traffic to support recovery efforts. They deserve a modern facility and 21st century tools to continue providing safe and efficient air traffic services to western North Carolina.”
The FAA provided the airport with $31.7 million to construct the new tower. The funding was part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. An additional $10 million from the IIJA was allocated to expand and modernize the airport’s terminal, increasing its gate capacity from five to 12, officials said.
The AVL tower will receive key equipment upgrades which will be installed by the end of 2028, including new radars, modern voice switches and Surface Awareness Initiative that allows air traffic controllers to track aircraft and vehicles in real-time in any weather condition, and where aircraft may be out of sight from the control tower.
The FAA also recently installed a new Tower Simulation System at the airport that will allow controllers to train in a controlled environment by projecting airport specific operation and scenarios.