An internal pipe failure has forced ATC at King County International Airport-Boeing Field into a temporary facility (pictured), severely limiting flight operations and training activities for about a month. [Credit: King County]
Key Takeaways:
King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KBFI) faces several weeks of reduced operational capacity due to emergency repairs on its air traffic control tower, necessitated by a severe water leak and damaged stormwater drainage system.
Air traffic controllers are operating from a temporary facility with limited capabilities, leading to significant restrictions including reduced arrivals, no airport traffic pattern work or VFR transitions, and limited access to ATIS weather information.
The repairs are expected to last approximately one month, marking the most substantial operational curtailment at KBFI since the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake.
The need for emergency maintenance on the air traffic control tower at King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KBFI) in Seattle means several weeks of reduced operational capacity for the busy facility.
Air traffic controllers began working from a temporary ATC facility as of 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![An internal pipe failure has forced ATC at King County International Airport-Boeing Field into a temporary facility, severely limiting flight operations and training activities for about a month. [Credit: King County]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/temp-tower-rear-view.jpg)
