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Council approves lease amendment for FAA ADS‑B tower at Kirksville Airport
Summary
The council authorized a lease amendment allowing L3Harris (under FAA subcontract) to continue operating the airport's ADS‑B surveillance tower. Staff said the tower, built and funded by the FAA in 2010, improves aircraft location reporting and regional air safety for an otherwise non‑towered airport.
The Kirksville City Council unanimously approved a lease amendment Thursday authorizing the city manager to sign a two‑party amendment with L3Harris Technologies, the FAA subcontractor that operates the airport’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance‑Broadcast (ADS‑B) tower.
Airport Director Jeff O’Fountain told council the ADS‑B equipment — funded by the Federal Aviation Administration and installed in 2010 — provides GPS‑based position reporting that transmits aircraft location to air traffic centers and other aircraft. He said Kirksville’s ADS‑B tower is the only such installation in the Northeast Missouri region; the nearest comparable sites are in Columbia, St. Joseph and Centerville, Iowa.
Why it matters: Kirksville Municipal Airport is not a towered field; ADS‑B improves situational awareness for pilots and air traffic centers and supports safe operations in the region. O’Fountain said the lease amendment continues the FAA’s arrangement with a private contractor to operate and maintain the equipment.
What council decided: Council approved the amendment on a unanimous vote. There was no change to airport operations or physical infrastructure at the site; the motion allows the city manager to execute the amendment and continue the operational relationship with the subcontractor.
