Cessna Opens FAA Control Tower at Independence Airport

With Citation Mustang deliveries ramping up at the Independence, Kan. Airport (KIDP), Cessna Aircraft Company, opened an FAA air traffic control tower providing services to the new Class D airspace there. Five controllers staff the tower which is located at the south end of Cessna's flight hangar and is operational seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
"This is another milestone in the expansion of the Independence facility," said Rod Holter, Cessna vice president and general manager, Independence. "With the increase in traffic following the successful launch of Mustang production here, installing a tower was the right thing to do for the convenience and safety of our customers and our employees who fly."
Three commemorative flights were conducted to celebrate the opening of the control tower. A Cessna Skyhawk 172R – the first aircraft produced at the Independence plant – performed the first tower controlled takeoff. The first landing was executed by a Citation Mustang. Finally, the first transient arrival was made by a CJ2 carrying Holter, Will Dirks, vice president, Cessna Flight Operations and John Fowler, Cessna senior facilities specialist along with Independence Mayor Rick Mott and City Manager Paul Sasse.
It is anticipated that the Independence airport will experience in excess of 50,000 operations annually with the tower providing positive traffic control and separation, significantly enhancing overall airport operational safety.