First air traffic control tower at Bend Airport nears start of operations
Claire Elmer
(Update: adding video, comments from Bend Airport manager)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend Municipal Airport is nearing a major safety milestone as its first air traffic control tower prepares to begin operations in the coming weeks.
The 115-foot tower is almost ready to guide aircraft and pilots between the ground and sky at one of Oregon’s busiest airports.
“This will be the very first brand new air traffic control tower to open in the United States in the year 2026,” Bend Airport Manager Tracy Williams said. “The BDN, that’s our three-letter identifier — Bravo, Delta, November for Bend.”
Bend Municipal Airport is the third-busiest airport in Oregon, with more than 141,000 takeoffs and landings each year. Airport leaders say that averages roughly 360 operations per day.
Until now, pilots using the Bend Airport have relied on radio communication with one another on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to coordinate takeoffs, landings, and movement around the airport.
“The purpose of the air traffic control tower is to provide for safe separation of aircraft,” Williams said. “We’re pretty safe already, but this will just add an extra margin of safety, an extra layer.”
The tower has been a priority for airport users since around 2008. The project moved forward after Bend Municipal Airport was accepted into the FAA’s Federal Contract Tower Program in 2020.
The tower includes four controller workstations, a break room, backup generator, weather equipment, antennas, lightning protection, and a rotating beacon. The project also includes an access road, parking area, utility connections, security fencing, and supplemental weather sensors.
The City of Bend says the design cost about $1.6 million, with construction costing about $9.1 million. The project is funded primarily through federal and state grants.
Airport leaders say the tower is expected to improve safety and efficiency while supporting the region’s aviation economy. Bend Municipal Airport is home to nearly 300 aircraft, two flight training schools, and numerous airport-related businesses.
Williams said the tower will also bring new aviation jobs to Central Oregon.
“We will employ at least five to seven air traffic controllers, including a manager. We’ll initially start with a couple, and then grow and provide more jobs as the demand occurs,” Williams said.
Airport leaders hope air traffic services can begin within the next couple of months.