MESA, AZ-  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that Mesa Gateway Airport (Gateway Airport, Gateway) has been selected as one of only two airports in the nation to participate in a new pilot program to transition high-activity contract towers to direct FAA staffing and management. The announcement was made today by the FAA as part of an initiative authorized in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act.

The pilot program is designed to standardize air traffic controller training, strengthen the national controller workforce pipeline, and preserve safety in complex airspace. Qualified contract tower controllers at Mesa Gateway will transition with their facility to an FAA-trained and -operated tower, and the FAA estimates the pilot program will take 29 to 44 months to complete.

Mesa Gateway Airport was a prime candidate for the program. Of more than 450 air traffic control towers across the United States, 264 are part of the FAA’s Contract Tower Program, where private contractors handle Air Traffic Control duties. Gateway Airport ranks among the busiest in that program. The Airport has experienced record-setting growth in recent years, and the transition to direct FAA oversight is expected to provide the operational infrastructure necessary to support continued expansion while maintaining the highest standards of safety and efficiency- a foundation further strengthened by the completion of a new federally funded $30 million FAA-compliant Air Traffic Control Tower in 2023.

“This is a landmark moment in the history of Mesa Gateway Airport and for the entire East Valley region,” said Lt. Governor for the Gila River Indian Community Regina Antone, Chair of the Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board of Directors. “Being selected as one of only two airports in the nation for this program is a testament to the exceptional operations and growth we have achieved at Gateway Airport. We are grateful to the Arizona Congressional Delegation for their steadfast advocacy in securing this provision in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act. Their partnership has been essential in positioning Mesa Gateway Airport as a national model for aviation excellence.”

The pilot program was made possible through years of collaborative work between the Mesa Gateway Airport Authority and the Arizona Congressional Delegation, who championed its inclusion in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act.

“Gateway Airport has built a strong and enduring partnership with the FAA, and this selection reflects the trust and confidence the agency has placed in our Airport and our team,” said J. Brian O’Neill, Executive Director of the Mesa Gateway Airport Authority. “We look forward to working closely with the FAA as we move through this process together, and we are proud that Mesa Gateway Airport will help shape the future of air traffic management in the United States.”

Gateway Airport is a critical economic engine for the greater Phoenix region, creating more than $2 billion in economic impact each year. In addition to being home to global aviation industry leaders such as Allegiant, Gulfstream, Virgin Galactic, Cessna, Embraer, and Garmin, Gateway Airport also serves a growing number of commercial passenger and cargo, corporate, military, and general aviation aircraft each year.

For more information about Mesa Gateway Airport, please visit www.gatewayairport.com

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Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Media Contact:
Ryan Smith, Director, Communications and Government Relations
Phone: 480-988-7617
Email: rsmith@gatewayairport.com