The FAA has announced that it broke ground on a new national air traffic control command center in Warrenton, Va., not far from the current command center in Dulles, Va., which is set to transfer the mantel in 2011.
Staff will monitor and coordinate with other air traffic facilities and system users, including the airlines, the military and business aviation groups, and the center’s main mission will be to manage the entire air space system to balance demand with capacity, and to deal with weather and other potential disruptions to air traffic, according to the FAA.
It said that about 300 controllers, managers and support staff members will move from the existing facility to the command center, which will house some of the most sophisticated air traffic display and communications equipment available.
Equipping the center will cost an estimated $46 million. The agency awarded a $22 million contract for construction to Arlington, Va. Corinthian Construction Company, and will also utilize four additional subcontractors.
A recent executive order issued by President Bush accelerates the implementation of NextGen, the agency’s plan to modernize the national airspace system through 2025.
