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Published Wednesday, November 18, 2009 in Local
There's talk of a future need for an air traffic control tower
By Jeff Bishop
The Newnan Times-Herald
The traffic at Newnan-Coweta Airport off U.S. Highway 29 south near Moreland has grown so quickly that now, for the first time, members of the Coweta Airport Authority are giving some preliminary consideration to construction of an air traffic control tower.
"In the past 10 years, we've gone from 50 planes on the ground to about 160 on the ground," said Airport Manager Calvin Walker at the Tuesday morning meeting of the airport authority.
During the summer there were sometimes 350 planes a day, "which is huge," Walker said.
"At what point do we consider going to a tower for air traffic control?" asked Ronny Jones, who served as chairman Tuesday in the absence of Dale Pepper.
"We don't want to be behind the curve," he pointed out.
"We're probably at the point where we should begin looking at that," said Reg Weaver, engineer for the board.
"We need to have a game plan," Jones said.
Cobb County Airport - McCollum Field was discussed as an example that Coweta County might follow. There are more than 350 aircraft based at McCollum, most of them being single-engine. The airport has a control tower, which opened in 1995.
In other business, the airport authority discussed its five-year capital improvement plan.
"We're focusing mostly on the east end" of the airport, said Weaver. The airport authority wants to open up the east side of the airport for further development.
"If we can get into a position where we can market all the property on the east side -- that's pretty cool," said Weaver.
High on the priority list will be the development of Phase 2 of the East Apron Taxiway project, "which will extend the taxiway to the runway," Weaver said.
Circulation of the airport traffic will be facilitated by the project, he explained, "Which is good, because with the flight school and with increased traffic, we're going to start seeing some congestion," said Weaver.
Funding for the taxiway project should come in during the winter, he said, and construction could begin in May.
"We're looking at construction beginning somewhere around May 1," he said.
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I live between Hwy 16 & Hwy 54 so I see a good deal of air traffic now and don't want a "mini-Hartsfield". I do want an airport that attracts new businesses that will add high paying jobs this county desperately needs to improve the local economy. Our airport has some great assets like close proximity to an interstate and Atlanta. Carefully planned improvements will attract growth without comprising safety and the life we enjoy now. Improvements to the airport are inevitable. I prefer to support those and get involved rather than fight it and be stuck with the results.
Posted by 10 yr Coweta resident at 12:37 PM
I live between Newnan Coweta Airport & PTC Airport so I see a good deal of small aircraft now and I agree I don't want to see a "mini-Hartsfield". However, I am in favor of an airport that can attract new businesses into Coweta Co that will add jobs (particulary high paying jobs this county desperately needs) & will improve the economic status of Coweta Co. The Newnan Coweta Airport really is a diamond in the rough with a lot of great assets such as close proximity to an interstate & within 30 mins of Atl. With carefully planned improvements it will attract the right kind of growth to Coweta Co without comprising the safety and way of life that we enjoy now. Improvements to the airport are inevitable and I prefer to support those changes and get involved in the decisions rather than fight it and be stuck with the end results.
Posted by 10 yr Coweta resident at 11:14 AM
The State and FAA are gonna spend that budgeted money somewhere. And yes, it is from tax dollars, that I pay into. So, I would rather them spend it improving my area than somewhere else. As far as the govt producing money, well I think we all know the answer to that question. They own the printing press remember:) Its coming people whether you like or not! Its called growth.
Posted by Coweta Resident at 5:39 AM
I live in Moreland and the planes going to and from the airport come directly over my house. They fly so low I duck!! We bought our land in 1978 and have until resent years enjoyed the pease that comes from living in a small town on 34 acres. I chose to live here for the above reasons. The airport is already to big. I seen the plane that crashed in reasent years, and it crashed just past my home!! This must stop!
Posted by MAM at 9:58 PM
Whether the money comes from the state or FAA. the money is still taxes that the citizens still have to provides as the government only collect money they do not produce money.
Posted by disgusted at 9:20 PM
A "mini hartsfield" I don't think so. Coweta airport is going to grow whether you support it or not. Its better to be pro-active now than later. A tower would make the airport a safer place to enter as traffic returns with the economy. A majority of the cost associated with projects like this are not purchased with Coweta Tax dollars. The state and the FFA budgets for these types of projects. Its great that the Airport Authority is planning now for what is sure to come later.
Posted by Coweta Resident at 5:10 PM
The people complaining about having a tower at CCO will be same people complaining when a plane crashes because of the lack of one...
Posted by Tracy at 4:39 PM
Quit trying the scare tactic of saying a tower would make CCO a mini-Hartsfield...There are plenty of small fields with towers across the country. As a fellow commerical pilot whom still flies small planes I see nothing but advantages to CCO expanding so long as its done with proper planning.
Posted by Average Joe Cowetan at 2:15 PM
I live near Turin and I hear enough noise already
Posted by RE North at 1:33 PM
350 planes on the ground versus a population of 130,000 people. that is a minute part of a percent of the population that is going to benefit from a great expense of our tax dollars. Unemployment is over 10 percent of the work force. Use this money to help them. If the pilots want to land under direction of a control tower they can go to Cobb county or "ATL". We don't have the money to keep the right of way on the roads trimmed but we can come up with the money to build a control tower for a select few in the county. Just how stupid is the general population of this county supposed to be. Never Mind.
Posted by disgusted at 11:59 AM
You have got to be kidding!!!! I live within 2 miles of the aiport and air traffic has done nothing but decline over this past year. I am sure there probably are more airplanes housed at the airport, but they all seem to be sitting. I wish this committee would give up on trying to make this airport into a "mini Hartsfield".
Posted by Airport Neighbor at 11:34 AM
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AIRPORT TOWER
11/19/2009
Link To This Comment
I live near the airport and the quote of 350 planes a day seems high - perhaps 350 takeoffs and landings which includes one or more planes doing touch and gos via the flight school? A controlled tower would definitely promote flight safety with the number of student planes we currently see in the traffic pattern. I am definitely NOT in favor of commercial commuter/regional jets flying into KCCO. I'd also like to see some tighter regulations on noise restrictions on the larger planes flying in and out of KCCO.
Posted by Flygirl at 5:36 PM