LEESBURG, VA — Residents will have a chance to learn about and weigh in on plans for a new air traffic control tower at Leesburg Executive Airport during an open house next week.
Airport staff and the Town’s Capital Projects Department are inviting the public to an information session on Wednesday, February 11, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the third floor conference room of the airport terminal building at 1001 Sycolin Road SE.
Attendees can drop in anytime during the hour to meet with the project team, review site plans, and see the latest rendering of the proposed tower. Those interested can also stick around for the Airport Commission’s regular 6:00 p.m. meeting, where commissioners will discuss the tower design.
The new tower comes after years of changing air traffic control arrangements at the facility. From 2018 until June 2023, the airport operated under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Remote Tower Pilot Program, which allowed controllers to manage aircraft remotely. When the FAA ended that program, airport officials set up a temporary trailer to handle air traffic control until a permanent tower can be built.
According to airport officials, a siting study examined three potential locations on airport grounds before settling on the north end of the terminal building. That spot offers the best runway visibility and is the most cost-effective option with the least environmental impact, officials said.
The FAA and Virginia Department of Aviation are expected to cover most of the design and construction costs through grant programs. Design work should wrap up by spring 2027, with the project then going out to bid. If funding comes through as expected, the tower could be completed within the next four years.
More information is available at www.leesburgva.gov/airporttower.
