Digital tower would bring air traffic control to Johnston Regional

Johnston Regional Airport is seeking a federal grant
to build a control tower.

SMITHFIELD — The County will help pay for a digital air traffic control tower at Johnston Regional Airport.

Cameras on a lattice tower will stream a near-panoramic view of the airfield to a control room elsewhere on the airport grounds, providing the safety that officials say the airport needs.

Airport Director Dave Harris is a former U.S. Navy pilot. “I’ve been landing on aircraft carriers for most of my adult life,” he told County Commissioners last month. “Not much scares me in the air.

“But the first time I came into Johnston Regional in my own airplane, I almost diverted back to Raleigh.”

That’s because Johnston Regional, or JNX, is a busy airport without a control tower.

"Aircraft operations have increased from about 80,000 a year to 105,000 over the past four years,” Harris noted. “That’s roughly one takeoff or landing every minute during a typical nine-hour flying day."

Those flights add up — and increase the risk of accidents.  

“We are the third busiest airport overall in North Carolina,” Harris said. “Coming across my desk on a daily basis are near-miss accidents.”

Digital control towers perform the same function as traditional ones. But instead of looking out windows from atop a tower, air traffic controllers watch a wall of high-definition monitors that provide a view of the airfield while software overlays display runway information, aircraft identification and projected flight paths. 

Compared to a traditional control tower, a digital one will cost less and take less time to build, Harris said. “We’re looking at roughly $12 million total for this installation,” he said, adding that construction would take about 18 months.

“A conventional staffed control tower would cost about $24 million and take roughly five years to complete,” Harris noted.

Commissioners agreed to contribute $4.5 million to the project — $2.75 million in 2026-27 and $1.75 million the following year.

Ken Starling, chairman of the County’s Airport Authority, called the tower an investment in Johnston’s future. “This project will enhance safety and efficiency while positioning us to attract additional corporate aviation, create new jobs, and generate additional property tax revenue that goes to Johnston County,” he said.

In addition to a flight school, Johnston Regional is home to Duke Life Flight, the State Patrol’s Special Operations Center, and medical transport aircraft.

“These critical public safety resources provide a quick response when our citizens need it most and demonstrate the value that this facility brings to our entire community,” Starling said.

“This project is about much more than aviation,” he added. “It’s an investment in public safety, economic growth and the future of Johnston County.

The County dollars are subject to the airport securing a federal grant for the tower project.

Page last updated on:  August 13, 2026