State kicks in more money for control tower

The state will be kicking in more money for the planned air traffic control tower at the Hernando County Airport.

The grant for the project was increased from $750,000 to $1.125 million, with $900,000 coming from the state and $225,000 from airport reserves.

"It's going to help us," Airport Manager Don Silvernell said. "We'll be taking less money out of reserves to build the tower."

The Airport Enterprise Fund has in excess of $2 million in reserve for capital projects.

Silvernell said he has already hired a consultant, Clough Harbour & Associates, to do a site and design study to find the best location for the tower, its height and building materials (concrete or steel).

CHA will be paid $264,250.

Once completed, Silvernell will send out requests for qualifications for a company to build the tower, estimated to cost $1.7 million to $3 million.

Barring any obstacles, Silvernell hopes to start construction by December of this year or January 2011. Typically, it takes four to six months to build, he said.

Silvernell said it will take another nine months to a year-and-a-half to man the tower.
Silvernell said this will be an FAA-contract tower, which means he will hire someone from a private company to do the job of directing aircraft.

He stressed that private companies are often cheaper and still must adhere to FAA standards.
As of Jan. 1, 2010, a total of 245 airports nationwide are participating in the FAA's Federal Contract Control Tower Program. Contract towers receive oversight and monitoring by the FAA and all contract controllers are certified by the agency.

Silvernell said there are five or six private companies in the country that provide controllers for these contract towers.

"They have the same certification and training as the FAA controllers but they work for private companies and can do it cheaper," he said. "(And) I'm told they have a better safety record than the Feds."
Under that arrangement, the FAA pays the private company, which in turn pays the controller.
The tower project has not been without its critics.

David Lemon, a member of the aviation authority and County Commissioner Jim Adkins have questioned whether there is enough flight activity at the airport to justify the tower's expense.
Lemon took issue with the financing of the tower and subsequent maintenance which will involve dipping into airport reserve funds.

Silvernell said there are about 166-based aircraft that provide 82,000 operations (takeoffs and landings) annually at the Hernando County Airport.

But Silvernell said it's not so much the volume of planes that necessitate the need for a tower. It's the mix of aircraft.

The airport is increasingly attracting a variety of private aircraft with corporate and military jet and helicopter traffic which, when the tower is operational, will be professionally controlled and directed.
Silvernell says it all comes down to one word: safety.