Avinor demands fix after quality inspection finds new Rana airport control tower out of plumb

Avinor has formally complained to the Kongsberg Group after discovering that the control tower at the new Mo i Rana Airport (MON) does not meet required vertical alignment tolerances.

The deviation was identified during a routine quality inspection after the tower had been fully assembled. According to Avinor, the structure is slightly out of plumb, although the deviation is not visible to the naked eye and can only be detected using measuring equipment.

The 40-metre-tall tower (80 metres including its foundation) is one of seven remote-controlled towers ordered from Kongsberg Group in 2024. Once the airport opens, air traffic services will be provided remotely from Avinor’s tower centre in Bodø.

Avinor described the issue as a faulty delivery and expects Kongsberg Group to carry out the necessary corrective work. The company said it is working with Avinor and its subcontractors to resolve the matter but declined to provide further details.

Despite the defect, Avinor said the issue is minor and is not expected to affect the opening of Rana Airport, which remains scheduled for 30 September 2027.

The new airport, being built at Fagerlia near Mo i Rana, is the first major airport constructed in Norway since Oslo Gardermoen opened in 1998. The project has a budget of around NOK 5 billion and is jointly funded by the Norwegian government, Rana Municipality and local businesses.