(MURFREESBORO) Under the leadership of Airport Director Chad Gehrke, the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport has been honored for its safety record as well as getting approval for a control tower. He said, "The FAA Southern Region, which covers over 500 airports, recognized Murfreesboro for all of the new technology, work with our consultant, and effort to reach out to our stakeholders to enhance aircraft safety operations."

Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland told NewsRadio WGNS . . .

Gehrke commented, "Murfressboro is one of the first general aviation airports perhaps in the nation to use Virtower, an aircraft operations and data recording devise, while conducting a Runway Safety and Capacity Study.  The study was used to create Standard Operating Procedures which addressed concerns pilots and neighbors expressed."

BIGGER Planes Won't Land Because of Control Tower

The mayor indicated that plans call for the control tower to be free-standing, and located near the new terminal building.  He also stressed that this would not be a burden for tax payers . . .

Mayor McFarland noted that the control tower is being added simply to make the airport safer. It will not allow larger airplanes or more to arrive and depart than what already uses the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport. 

The airport director continued, "Once the Murfreesboro Airport Commission and City Council completed the Standard Operating Procedures and observed their effectiveness for a while, they saw other areas that could not be impacted by Standard Operating Procedures.  This lead to conducting a study that would determine if the airport qualified to participate in the Federal Contract Tower Program.  A benefit cost analysis is a key element of that application process and the Murfreesboro Airport qualified in every scenario.  The City submitted the application and was approved in record time."

What's In A Name?

Everyone is aware of the FAA identifier of the Nashville International Airport--BNA.  

Cehrke concluded, "Murfreesboro has a great three letter identifier that makes sense.  It is MBT.  We hope to incorporate that on the new Airport sign at Memorial coming this spring/summer."

Who knows, MBT emblazened on T-shirts may be the next fashion craze?