Phoenix Sky Harbor Air Traffic Control Tower

The new Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport significantly enhance the FAA’s ability to manage growing air traffic at one of the busiest airports in the American Southwest. At 326 feet tall, the tower is currently the fifth tallest in the world and provides controllers with unobstructed views of the entire airfield to ensure safe coordination of aircraft takeoffs, landings, and ground movement. The integrated 60,000 sq. ft. TRACON facility, which includes 48 radar positions and FAA’s advanced STARS system, allows for seamless monitoring and coordination of aircraft in the surrounding airspace.

The tower and TRACON structure were constructed to strict FAA specifications with heightened emphasis on safety, reliability, and durability. The control cab, perched 300 feet above ground, includes a design detail allowing rear access to critical systems without interrupting ongoing air traffic operations—underscoring the importance of functionality and maintainability.

Schuff Steel supplied, fabricated, and erected 750 tons of structural steel for this project. Our scope covered the structural steel framing for the tower, including steel systems for internal stairs and the elevator shaft. Given the tower’s extreme height and precision requirements, steel components were fabricated to tight tolerances and erected with careful sequencing to maintain structural integrity and minimize disruption on the active airport campus.

Schuff’s contributions helped ensure that the tower was completed on schedule and built to the highest standards—supporting the FAA’s mission of maintaining safe, efficient air travel in the region.