Central Wisconsin Airport to Receive Funds to Improve Operations at Control Tower

Friday, April 7th, 2023 -- 9:01 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) The Central Wisconsin Airport has received over 600 thousand dollars to improve operations at their control tower.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Director Brian Grefe says the money will help upgrade vital equipment when it comes to safety in the skies. "But really the core of this project is that communications equipment, federally mandadted communication equipment."

He says there were several factors in determining their eligibility. "The age of the equipment. They also look at previous funding that has been given to the airport, which we've never actually requested federal funding for the tower, so this is new to us."

He says the equipment includes more features to improve efficiency for the air traffic controllers. "It's important equipment. There's a lot of redundency built into everything."

He says the equipment is owned and maintained by the airport, but used for government services. "But this grant, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allowed us to use federal money to update that equipment. So, it's going to modernize the tower and be very affordable for the airport."

The grant totals six hundred eight thousand dollars and comes out of the bipartisian infrastructure bill. Grefe says they do need to follow some government procurement standards including formal bids for the equipment, so installation is likely a year away.

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