GA Airports Get $20 Million For ATC Upgrades

General aviation airports will get a $20 million slice of the Biden administration’s infrastructure funding with 33 grants to 29 facilities to improve air traffic control equipment. The funding specifically…

General aviation airports will get a $20 million slice of the Biden administration's infrastructure funding with 33 grants to 29 facilities to improve air traffic control equipment. The funding specifically targets airport-owned towers. Most of the grants are in the $500,000-to-$1 million range and will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure ranging from lights to communications systems. The relatively new tower at Wittman Airport in Oshkosh gets new furniture and air conditioning worth $200,000. A few fields will get whole new towers.

“Airports aren’t just travel hubs, they are important job centers and economic engines—especially in smaller communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re proud to deliver these investments, which will help us improve safety at airports and support local economies for decades to come.” 

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.