The Federal Aviation Administration and Oklahoma airport officials are expressing concern that a proposed super-tall skyscraper in Oklahoma, which would rank as the nation’s tallest structure, could affect flight operations.
The FAA’s obstruction assessment panel found the 1,907-foot-tall Legends Tower could pose a “hazard to air navigation.” If built, the study says four local airports could be affected by the structure: Tinker Air Force Base, Wiley Post Airport, Will Rogers International Airport and Max Westheimer Airport.
Legends Tower was designed by AO Architects and is being developed by Matteson Capital. A general contractor has not yet been named for the proposed $1.6 billion mixed-use development project in downtown Oklahoma City’s Brickyard District.
Developer Scot Matteson told local media that the project will be built, even if it has to be below the planned height. The tallest building in the United States is currently the One World Trade Center in New York City, standing at 1,776 feet. The 1,907-foot height of The Legends Tower commemorates the year Oklahoma won state.
In a 37-page letter to the building’s architect, Julie Morgan, manager of the Obstruction Assessment Group, says aircraft landings, take-offs and en-route procedures would be affected by the tower.
“The study revealed that the described structure would have a substantial adverse effect on air navigation,” he writes. “This determination becomes final on January 13, 2025, unless a timely petition is filed.”
The FAA and local airports are concerned that direct approaches are unsafe. The FAA, according to the report, received 20 letters of opposition to the construction, while only two approved the construction of the tower. The main concerns identified in the objection letters were the need to “extend the time and aircraft paths at the affected airports for both take-off and landing”, the report states.
International Airport Director Will Rogers stated in a letter to the FAA that due to the proposed height of The Legends, a high minimum vectoring altitude (MVA) would cause aircraft to make longer descents and “the its location would also infringe on airspace over multiple airports.”
The letter continues, the building’s height would likely “increase travel time” for flights, add “adverse changes” to takeoffs and “create safety of flight issues, in the state’s largest city, according to local outlets”. ENR requested a copy of the letter, but did not receive a response.
The nation’s largest airline, American Airlines, agrees, stating in a letter that planes would struggle to reach climb levels on departures.
