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Hernando Today

Airport Clears First Hurdle For Control Tower

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By HERNANDO TODAY STAFF

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 9, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The effort to get a control tower at the Hernando County Airport is in the air.
Airport officials have received word that the airport on U.S. 41 does qualify for the Federal Contract Control Tower Program.

It's the first major hurdle to get a tower and improve safety at the airport, Airport Director Don Silvernell said Monday.

Under the program, the airport would pay to build and maintain the tower. The federal government pays to man it.

The current estimate to build a tower is between $1.7 million and $2.5 million, Silvernell said. The money would come from the airport's budget and from grants and loans, not the county's general revenue budget, Silvernell said.

If all goes well, the project could be put out to bid as early as next fall, he said.

Currently, the airport operates under an "advisory" status, meaning pilots communicate between themselves to avoid a collision. The airport has seen a significant increase in corporate jet and military traffic, making the need for a tower more urgent, Silvernell said.

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