Wexton, Kaine visit Leesburg Airport to discuss air traffic control tower solutions

By Tabitha Reeves

After the Federal Aviation Administration decided to end the remotely-located control tower program at the Leesburg Executive Airport in February, pilots and patrons alike were left with a nonideal interim solution to begin in June: an air traffic control trailer. 

Between the $10,000 monthly trailer rent and hopes for an eventual brick-and-mortar tower, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) met with Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk and Vice Mayor Neil Steinberg at the airport on June 26 to discuss solutions, funding and timelines.

“Progress [was made] in that they came to see the new temporary control site,” Burk said. “And they were surprised to see that, and realized that it really does need to be temporary.”

The mayor explained that a permanent control facility takes millions of dollars to build, which the airport lacks the federal funding for. In addition to financing those plans, the cost of monthly trailer rent will be a new expense for the airport, since the remotely-located ATC technology has been used for the last five years.

After pushback from Wexton and Kaine, the FAA agreed to pay for the ATC trailer until September, as well as the salaries of the air traffic controllers beyond September.

“The solution isn’t ideal, but it’s certainly better than the alternative,” Kaine said during the meeting, attributing the FAA’s agreement to the Virginia Congressional delegation’s ability to work quickly and in unison.

According to Burk, the FAA closed the remote ATC tower due to a dispute with Saab Inc. – the technology contractor that designed and implemented the necessary surveillance and tracking equipment for the remote site. She emphasized that the program was not removed due to safety issues or lack of success.

“They came to us and asked us to pilot this program, and we did so willingly,” Burk said. “It was very successful, and to have it pulled was very, very dramatically disappointing.”

During their visit, Kaine and Wexton expressed their intentions to seek out funds for both a brick-and-mortar tower, as well as monetary assistance with the trailer rent when the time comes.

“I’ve been working hard as an advocate for continued air traffic control services as the remote tower program winds down, and during our visit, Senator Kaine and I reiterated our commitment to doing all we can to ensure that the airport can continue the growth and prosperity it has seen in recent years.” Wexton said in an email.

In regards to timeline, Burk reported that Kaine and Wexton would be “working on it and getting it as soon as they can.” 

“It’s really in their hands at this point,” Burk said. “I mean, we’re doing what we need to do, which is get the plans in place and be ready when it comes time. But it’s really, at this point, mostly about funding.” 

In 2021, Leesburg Airport received $3.7 million in federal funding with the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which ensured that Virginia airports would receive a combined $400 million in funding over the next five years. 

The airport was able to build a new apron and hangar with the money, prior to the need for a permanent ATC tower.

“I’ll continue working with the airport, local stakeholders and the FAA to find a long-term solution to help ensure the airport can continue to operate safely and be a critical economic engine in the community,” Kaine said in an email.

In his Facebook post following the visit to the airport, Kaine reiterated a similar sentiment, describing local airports as the “heart of economic development in communities across Virginia,” and assured readers that he is committed to the cause.

“We appreciate the help from the Congressional delegation,” Burk said. “It was very important to get their involvement, but we’ve got a ways to go before we get final answers.”