New Rana airport tower stands crooked as suppliers work on a fix

The new control tower at the airport in Rana has been delivered out of plumb, with Avinor saying the deviation exceeds what it accepts, Dagbladet reports.

Avinor has filed a routine complaint with supplier Kongsberggruppen and is awaiting its assessment of corrective measures, the company’s press officer, Carita Storm Røassen, told Dagbladet.

The error was discovered during a quality inspection. It cannot be seen with the naked eye and requires measuring equipment to detect.

The tower has already been fully assembled and stands 40 metres above the ground. When the new airport opens, it is scheduled to be remotely controlled from Bodø.

Avinor said it trusted Kongsberggruppen to handle the situation in accordance with the delivery requirements.

“Since this is a faulty delivery, it is the supplier’s responsibility to put it right. At present, there is nothing to indicate that this will affect the airport’s opening date,” Røassen said.

Kongsberggruppen confirmed that it was following up the complaint.

“We are working with Avinor and our subcontractors on this matter,” communications director Ivar Simensen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Avinor said the airport opening remains on schedule for September 30, 2027. The tower is not expected to become a Norwegian version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“We leave the crooked icon status to Pisa. Our goal is for the tower to stand firmly and straight when the airport opens,” Røassen wrote.

The new airport in Rana will be the first major airport built in Norway since Gardermoen opened in 1998.