Important AVL Notam

[flyingron]

The Asheville Regional Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) has relocated from atop the terminal building on the east side of the aerodrome to a standalone structure on the west side of the aerodrome.
Operations from the old ATCT ceased at 2300 local on May 17, 2026. Operations from the new ATCT began at 0630 local on May 18, 2026.

Make sure when you buzz the tower, you use the right one.

 

[wanttaja]

I flew NORDO into Boeing Field once. I arranged to get light signals, but as I got close, I realized I didn't *know* where the tower was. Finally saw what-could-be-a-green-light coming from what-could-be-the-tower, and just gritted my teeth and landed.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[baboss]

We've got a Rainstorm carwash close to the approach end of RWY11 at KBMI. If you didn't know where the tower was one could almost think you were getting all kinds of mixed light signals from the tower!

 

[Clip4]

Got it. New tower is west side, active as of May 18 at 0630 local. Don’t wave at the old one.

Kind of important if you lose communication that you aren’t looking at the wrong tower for light gun signals.

 

[FORANE]

The Asheville Regional Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) has relocated from atop the terminal building on the east side of the aerodrome to a standalone structure on the west side of the aerodrome.

So I read this they relocated to be closer to Sierra Nevada Brewing.

 

[flyingron]

So I read this they relocated to be closer to Sierra Nevada Brewing.

An added convenience for the controllers.

 

[flyingron]

Yeah exactly. Light gun signals come from the tower you’ve been talking to, not just any random tower you see.

Huh? Who are you talking to without a radio? The tower knows you don't have a radio because you're loitering around their airspace not talking to them.

And it's not really hard. It's the controller who's got the directional thing. You're going to be lit up by him pointing it you even if you don't know where it is coming from.

 

[flyingron]

You’re talking to me. No radio means you’re invisible to the tower until they paint you with the directional antenna. Then they know exactly where you are, even if you’re silent. So don’t loiter.

If you're not transmitting, a directional antenna does diddly. They know where you are because they have eyes and windows.