The University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Aviation and Aerospace celebrated the completion of a new hangar project and the groundbreaking for a new air traffic control tower Friday.
The hangar project includes two 10,000-square feet hangars that took about two years to complete. The new air traffic control tower will be 106 feet tall with an eye height for controllers at 85 feet, according to specs available at the event. The tower will feature a conference room, a manager’s office, an equipment room and a 14 foot high cab. The $15.8 million tower is estimated to be complete in 2027, according to Holly Hunt, vice president of executive affairs at the University of Oklahoma.
With aviation and aerospace as Oklahoma’s second largest, and fastest-growing economic sector, Hunt said university officials felt it was their duty to “heed the call for what our state needs.”
The ODAA contributed $1.7 million in grants for the new hangars and towers, former U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe earmarked $5 million for the project before he left office and the Pigman Family Charitable Foundation donated $350,000, according to Hunt.
“ The (current) tower was built in 1982 and it is certainly time to have a new luxury tower for all of our expansion here at this airport,” Hunt said.
Grayson Ardies, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, said the legislature has provided significant investment to the state of Oklahoma, investing $168 million in “pro-growth aviation infrastructure” over the last several years.
Ardies said that money has funded over half a million square-feet in new hangar space, 11 new terminal buildings, 11 new taxi lanes in six associated utilities projects and more.
“ We are just beginning our renaissance for aviation (and) aerospace,” Ardies said, adding that the department is working on a new economic impact story of the industry. “ Why is that important? It’s not because aviation, aerospace is cool. Let’s face it, it’s cool… but it’s for the health and benefit of the state of Oklahoma. This is helping change the budget scenario, helping change lives in the state of Oklahoma and moving the needle forward for everybody.”
Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission member Lindy Ritz referred to the event as a “red letter day” for Norman and that these projects have been a dream project for Norman and OU.
“ The success of the aviation industry is based on having quality infrastructure and a healthy workforce,” Ritz said. “OU and Max Westheimer are perfect examples of the partnership. That means both key areas to ensure the industry continues on its growth trajectory.”
Hunt said the university welcomed nine new airplanes last year and earlier this month, the OU Board of Regents approved the purchased of five additional aircrafts, bringing the university’s fleet to 33 aircrafts. This will allow OU’s aviation programs to admit an additional 60 students. The university also added an air traffic control management program last fall.
“ We’ve got a lot more demand than we have supplied, by the way,” OU Regent Rick Nigel said. “… Yes, we’re excited we get to add 60 more, that’s great for those 60. There’s another roughly thousand that we had to turn down.”
Nigel said the university would need roughly 100 additional new aircraft to satisfy the current demand, not including equipment needs of the helicopter program.
“ It’s just exciting that people want to come to the University of Oklahoma, now ranked number one twice — in 2022, again in 2024 — for the best value in education with respect to this kind of curriculum. We’re very, very proud of all of that.”
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