Cedar City Airport considers air traffic control tower to accommodate growth |
An air traffic control tower to improve airport safety |
At Cedar City Regional Airport, a busy day can bring hundreds of aircraft movements, even as pilots operate without an on-site tower.
That growing traffic has put an air traffic control tower at the center of an airport expansion discussion focused on airport safety.
The airport handles commercial flights, Southern Utah University flight training and an air tanker base, a mix that demands careful coordination.
Airport manager Tyler Galetka says the facility records roughly 115,000 takeoffs and landings a year, with especially active days reaching about 650.
For student pilots, emergency crews and airline passengers, keeping aircraft safely separated is more than an abstract concern.
A tower would put controllers at the airport to direct nearby traffic and add oversight as operations grow.
Controllers based outside Cedar City currently help manage traffic, but airport leaders believe on-site coordination could better match daily demands.
Industry estimates put tower design and construction at about seven years and $20 million to $22 million, making funding a substantial hurdle.
Airport officials are exploring state, federal and local support while existing operations continue during what could be a lengthy planning process.
For now, commercial passengers primarily rely on flights connecting Cedar City with Salt Lake City, while airport leaders hope to attract service to other destinations.
Winning those routes could be difficult, especially with competing travel options in Las Vegas and airlines looking for fuller flights.
Recent terminal improvements have increased seating, expanded restroom access and created room to accommodate two commercial flights at once.
Those changes could make the airport more welcoming if new service arrives, though a better terminal alone cannot guarantee additional routes.
More flights could bring visitors closer to southern Utah’s outdoor attractions while giving residents more options closer to home.
Additional airport activity could also support jobs and spending at local restaurants, hotels and other businesses.
But the immediate question is simpler: Can Cedar City build the infrastructure to keep pace with the planes already using its runways?
For a community balancing growth with caution, airport safety remains the strongest argument for getting that answer right. |
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Controllers managing traffic from outside Cedar City seems like a band-aid solution at this point. On-site just makes more sense for how busy it's gotten.
Good for the local businesses if more travelers start coming through. Our hotels and restaurants could really use that kind of boost right now.
Jenny R.Totally agree. The restaurants near the airport especially could use the foot traffic. Even a small bump in travelers makes a difference for places that are already pretty thin on margins.
I'll believe new airline service when I see it. Airlines have been looking at southern Utah for years and always end up going somewhere else.
skeptical_sam_cHard to argue with that. Remember when they were supposedly close to adding Phoenix service a few years back? Quietly went nowhere. I want to be optimistic but history makes it tough.
115,000 takeoffs and landings a year is not a small airport anymore. It's time the infrastructure caught up with what's actually happening out there.
tom_in_cedarExactly. It kind of snuck up on people. The SUU flight program alone adds a ton of traffic and then you stack the tanker base on top of it. The numbers just don't match the current setup anymore.
My family flies into Cedar City to visit and the Salt Lake connection is always a hassle. More routes would make a real difference for people coming to see Zion and Bryce.
PatriciaVanordenSame situation here. The Salt Lake layover adds so much time to what should be a simple trip. Even one more direct connection would change things a lot for people visiting the parks.
The terminal upgrades are nice but you're right that a nicer waiting room won't bring new airlines in. That takes a lot more than fresh seats.
Brian K.Right, airlines care about load factors and route profitability first. A comfortable terminal is a nice bonus but it's not moving the needle on their spreadsheets.
Would love to see more direct flights out of Cedar City. Driving to Las Vegas every time we need to go somewhere is getting old.
locals_firstThe drive to Vegas is fine once in a while but doing it every single time you need a real flight gets exhausting. Especially in winter when the roads get sketchy.
Seven years and 22 million dollars just to get it built. That timeline is rough but I get it, these things take forever to fund and approve.
Marcy LundSeven years is rough but honestly that tracks with most airport projects I've read about. The funding puzzle alone can take years before a shovel even goes in the ground.
As someone who knows a few of the student pilots at SUU, this tower can't come soon enough. Those kids are out there every day sharing airspace with tankers and commercial flights.
650 flights in a single day with no tower on site is wild to me. That feels like a disaster waiting to happen honestly.
Dave T.I thought the same thing at first but apparently pilots self-coordinate on a common radio frequency when there's no tower. It works but yeah, at 650 movements a day that gets complicated fast.