The control tower in Sde Dov (photo: Ziv Reinstein, editing: Jordana Avodi Fuchs)
One of the most distinctive features of airports comes in the form of their control towers, towering over every single building in the complex.
And of course, beyond their impressive look, they have a crucial role in the ongoing management of air traffic.
As we know, the control tower is the heart of the air activity, and from there the permission is given to each plane to take off, land or wait its turn.
By the way, did you know that the world celebrates "Flight Inspector Day"?
The event takes place every year on October 20.
So to pay respect to the air traffic controllers in the towers and their important work - here are the five tallest control towers in the world.
The highest in the world - in Saudi Arabia
The
first place
is taken by a control tower that recently gained additional height.
This is the tower at King Abdulaziz International Airport, near the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
It was inaugurated in 2017
and rises to a height of 136 meters
.
In this, it is taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Just for comparison, the control tower of the National Security Agency rises to a height of a little more than 100 meters and it started operating in 2015.
second place
In second place is the West Tower at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia.
Its construction was completed in 2013, and its height is 133.8 meters.
The western tower has 33 floors plus a roof floor, and next year it will celebrate its 10th birthday.
Its height is 133.8 meters.
The Western Control Tower at Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia (Photo: ShutterStock)
Third place
In third place on the list is Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand.
The height of the operating tower is 132.2 meters and it provides a 360 degree panoramic view over an area of approximately 32 square kilometers. The construction of the tower was completed in 2005.
Its height is 132.2 meters.
The control tower at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand (Photo: ShutterStock)
fourth place
After it, by a tiny gap, there is another tower at the Kuala Lumpur airport - this time it is the eastern tower, which is 130 meters high.
Compared to the other towers on the list of the "five tallest", it is the oldest - its construction was completed in 1998. It even has a local nickname: "The Slim Lady".
It should be noted that at the time of its construction, it was considered the tallest control tower in the world.
Its height is 130 meters.
The East Control Tower at Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia (Photo: ShutterStock)
fifth place
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta in the United States.
Its height is 121 meters, and it stands in one of the busiest airports in the entire world.
Its height is 121 meters.
Control tower at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta (Photo: ShutterStock)
The debate between the US and Canada
This is the place to talk about an old debate among aviation enthusiasts: it turns out that technically, the control tower of the airport in Vancouver in Canada is higher than the tower in Atlanta (142 meters), but nevertheless - it is built and in fact "dressed" on a previously existing structure and it is not an independent tower that stands on its own .
Either way, this is an incredibly impressive structure.
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