Murfreesboro Municipal Airport Safety: Air Traffic Control Tower

Abstract

This study reveals whether or not an air traffic control tower would improve safety at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport based upon the perceptions of pilots and controllers familiar with the airport. The airport has a high amount of local traffic in comparison to nearby airports with air traffic control towers. This high amount of traffic has proven to be a hazard to other aircraft without adequate management. A safety survey was distributed to pilots who fly out of Murfreesboro Airport and to air traffic controllers who frequently interact with those pilots. The safety survey results, as well as safety reports filed by Middle Tennessee State University pilots, reveal that an air traffic control tower would be beneficial to prevent incidents that could diminish safety. The air traffic control tower would also benefit students’ abilities to talk to air traffic control and possibly improve MTSU’s air traffic control program by providing integrated learning with the tower.