Toweling Achievement

摘要

A backdrop in thousands of pictures taken each year at the Experimental Aircraft Association's week-long gathering in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the Wittman Regional Airport air traffic control tower is one of the world's most recognizable. During EAA's AirVenture, held at Wittman every summer since 1970, the tower becomes the world's busiest. But wear and tear is taking a toll, and the old building is nearing its end. "Structurally and mechanically, it's a nightmare," says airport director Peter Moll. "It's pretty much in the old, original condition. There's no elevator. In fact, when they built it, they didn't have cranes. It was all concrete block and brick that was hauled up on scaffolding and placed by hand." Work began on the tower in 1962, after Miron Construction came in with the lowest bid: $161,125. Opened the following year, the 70-foot-tall building was located just west of Basler Flight Service, on the north end of the then-35-year-old airport, known at the time as Winnebago County Airport. In 1968, the tower needed to be moved so that controllers could see Runway 18/36, which had moved south to its current location. The 900-ton building was gently hoisted onto special dollies and towed inches at a time by a six-wheel truck. The mile-long trip took two weeks. At its new home, a taller foundation was built. That elevated air traffic controllers an additional 15 feet, giving them a better view of the airport, which by then had grown from 75 acres to 300.