MKC
Kansas City Downtown Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Kansas City Downtown-Wheeler Field Kansas City, Missouri
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | MKC |
| Facility Name | Kansas City Downtown Tower |
| Airport | Kansas City Downtown-Wheeler Field |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 5 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Approach/Departure | MCI |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZKC |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 653 Lou Holland Dr Kansas City, MO 64116 |
| Phone Number | 816-329-2880 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Kansas City Downtown Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $39.57 | $53.41 | $82,575 | $111,474 |
| D3 | $36.38 | $39.57 | $75,917 | $82,575 |
| AG | $26.81 | $26.81 | $55,947 | $55,947 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 5 |
| Locality Area | Kansas City |
| Locality Pay | 18.97% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 92.5 (7.5% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $89,232 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band maximum) | $93,699 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $17,775 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $111,474 |
| = Total Pay | $111,474 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band minimum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $13,167 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $82,575 |
| = Total Pay | $82,575 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band maximum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $13,167 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $82,575 |
| = Total Pay | $82,575 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band minimum) | $63,812 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $12,105 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $75,917 |
| = Total Pay | $75,917 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $8,921 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,947 |
| = Total Pay | $55,947 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.97% of Basic Pay for Kansas City) | + $8,921 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,947 |
| = Total Pay | $55,947 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so lines can differ from the total by a dollar or two.
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 17 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 15 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 106.67% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
129.70% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 4.8 |
| ↳ Placement List Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.3 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
5 trainees |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 5 |
| Training Information, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 0.6 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 0.75 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.21 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 95% |
| ↳ New Hires | 100% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 85% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 1 days |
Historical Trends
MKC Staffing Percentages
MKC Personnel Counts
MKC Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See MKC transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 88.29% |
| Gaining Target | 101.62% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 2 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 1 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 13 |
| ↳ Standard | 13 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.6 years ago |
| ERR Demand, September 15, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| ERRs on File (Inbound) | 1 |
| ↳ Releasable | 0 |
| Employees with ERRs (Outbound) | 3 |
| ↳ As % of CPCs | 17.6% |
| ↳ Total ERRs (Outbound) | 4 |
ERR Demand Trends
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Traffic
| October 2025 - September 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 85,552 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 234 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 5 Tower) |
81,957 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +4.4% vs peer median |