LaGuardia To Start Using New Tower This Weekend

[Ari707]

NEW YORK (AP) - New York’s LaGuardia Airport will start using its new control tower this weekend.
The $100-million facility will replace a 46-year-old tower. The Federal Aviation Administration says it will provide air traffic controllers better visibility and technology that will help reduce flight delays.
The changeover is slated to occur with the first flight operation after midnight Sunday.
The old tower will be turned off and decommissioned.
The new tower has a ground radar system that provides controllers better information about aircraft on runways and taxiways. It also gives them transponder information about a plane’s destination.
The agency that operates the airport says 22.1 million passengers used LaGuardia in 2009.

[NLovis]

Its been in the works for awhile now. I thought they already swapped but guess I was wrong. That old tower served well. Any ideas as to what will happen to it?

[JHNA57]

The changeover is slated to occur with the first flight operation after midnight Sunday.

Does this mean 12:01am Sunday or 12:01am Monday? Also, does LGA have a curfew on flights after midnight?

[Matt Molnar]

Also, does LGA have a curfew on flights after midnight?

There is a sort of gentlemen's agreement not to schedule flights after midnight during the summer to keep the neighbors happy, but nothing concrete. Delayed flights are not fined or anything, it's not unusual for planes to depart or land well after midnight.

[LGA777]

It is 12:01 Sunday but because the airport will be closed from 0000L till 0600L for construction, my guess is the 1st operation will be the 0545 CO (United now) 737 departure to IAH. And Gotham what you posted is correct in the winter. From approx May 1st till Nov 1st LGA has a construction curfew and is closed to all fixed wing aircraft from 0000L till 0600L. Port Authority Ops will often extend the curfew a few mins to accommodate late flights and on bad weather days where dozen of flights may be effected they will even delay the closure till 0130 or 0200. If 1 or 2 flights are delayed say and hour the curfew will usually not be extended and depending on the carrier these arrivals will often divert to EWR or JFK and the aircraft is ferried over when the airport opens in the morning.

[Speedbird1]

I was hoping the change-over to the new tower would be on 10-10-10, for good luck and because it's easy for a senior such as myself to remember. As for curfews on flying in the dark, I seem to remember that the Concorde here at JFK promised not to depart or arrive after sunset but sometimes delayed flights caused exceptions. I recall one Halloween night, the British "Speedbird" Concorde had a special 1 hours' flight from JFK departing after dark. It's call-sign was "Broomstick One". I heard it depart as I live not far from the Canarsie VOR. The flight was about 1 hour and all the crew wore costumes. I wonder what the captain wore?

[Speedbird1]

The new tower must be fully-operational by now. I hope the old tower isn't going to be demolished like JFK did (they even had a small museum of historic photos on the ground floor). I wish they would give tours of the old tower but that is not very likely.

[cancidas]

The new tower must be fully-operational by now. I hope the old tower isn't going to be demolished like JFK did (they even had a small museum of historic photos on the ground floor). I wish they would give tours of the old tower but that is not very likely.

the new tower is in use, the old one will be town down.

[gonzalu]

Best thing they could do for the public is to make it an observation deck. I 'd pay $10 to $20 to go up there and hang out. Think of the great pictures you can take ;-)

[Derf]

Best thing they could do for the public is to make it an observation deck. I 'd pay $10 to $20 to go up there and hang out. Think of the great pictures you can take ;-)

Keep dreaming

[JHNA57]

NYCA Man Cave!!!

[Matt Molnar]

Best thing they could do for the public is to make it an observation deck. I 'd pay $10 to $20 to go up there and hang out. Think of the great pictures you can take ;-)

We've inquired about this...no go. Allegedly the old tower blocks a portion of the field of view from the new tower, so they're tearing it down.

[NLovis]

We've inquired about this...no go. Allegedly the old tower blocks a portion of the field of view from the new tower, so they're tearing it down.

That answers my question. When is the demolition slated? Get her while you still can.

[Speedbird1]

Sadly, demolition is in full-swing. I saw the top of the old tower wrapped in netting and several floors are already gone. I was amused to read the old tower was referred to as the "Swiss Cheese Tpwer" due to the large holes seen. I will miss this tower as she's been a symbol of LGA for decades. She could be spotted from Shea as well as from CitiField. I guess she couldn't be declared a NYC landmark and saved for demolition as the LAX Tower was. Miraculously, part of the old TWA Terminal was saved at JFK.