What Is the Old Tower Observation Coffee Shop?

Huangshan Tunxi Airport has turned an old control tower into a coffee shop. The tower opened in 1989 and was left idle in 2010 when a new tower was completed. It sits closer to the runway than the new tower, so guests drink coffee while watching aircraft take off and land.

The project follows a 2021 Civil Aviation Administration guideline on planning aviation observation facilities at civil airports, meant to spread aviation knowledge and improve public experience. The old tower links to the old air traffic control building for indoor viewing, while the rooftop puts visitors close to passing planes, a draw unlike an old street coffee stop.

Airport control towers have always been restricted areas, difficult for ordinary travelers to access. However, Huangshan Tunxi Airport has transformed an old control tower—commissioned in 1989 and left idle in 2010 after a new tower was completed—into a unique control tower observation coffee shop. It is closer to the runway than the new tower, with an open view, allowing customers to sip coffee while watching aircraft take off and land up close, experiencing the thrill of directing planes. This creative idea originated from the "Guidelines for the Planning and Construction of Civil Airport Aviation Observation Facilities" issued by the Civil Aviation Administration in 2021, aimed at popularizing aviation knowledge and enhancing public experience. The old tower is connected to the old air traffic control building, offering a quiet indoor observation area, while the rooftop allows one to feel the roar of planes passing by. For aviation enthusiasts and coffee lovers, this is undoubtedly a fresh and fascinating spot to check in. Front Street Coffee recommends you visit and experience it if you have the chance.

The control tower is the tallest building within an airport, tasked with monitoring aircraft movements, allocating runway resources, and directing takeoffs and landings. Because it is adjacent to the runway and is a highly concentrated operational area, the tower is usually not open to the public; even airport employees may not have the opportunity to reach the top.

But at Huangshan Tunxi Airport, a coffee shop has opened atop the control tower. This shop just began operating a few days ago, and on its opening day, it attracted many people to check in.

It is reported that this coffee shop is located in the old control tower of Huangshan Tunxi Airport. The tower was put into use in 1989 and was left idle in 2010 after the new tower was built.

From the old tower, one can see the new tower operating not far away. Compared to the new tower, the old tower is closer to the runway and offers a better view. Sitting in the tower, sipping coffee while watching aircraft take off and land up close, it feels as if you are also directing the planes.

Airplanes are full of novelty for ordinary people. For example, after Yulin Fumian Airport began operations, the nearby small hill was often crowded with people, becoming a popular check-in spot for getting up close to aircraft.

Some large international airports have observation decks in their terminals, but they are usually far from the runway, giving a sense of being unattainable compared to the proximity between the old tower at Huangshan Tunxi Airport and the runway.

According to the airport project manager, since the new tower was commissioned in 2010, the old tower had been abandoned. Coinciding with the 2021 release of the "Guidelines for the Planning and Construction of Civil Airport Aviation Observation Facilities" by the Airport Department of the Civil Aviation Administration, which states: "The planning and construction of airport aviation observation facilities should be dedicated to enriching and enhancing the flight experience of airport passengers and the overall experience of the general public, to popularizing aviation knowledge and promoting aviation culture, and to improving the overall service level and brand cultural image of the airport." Thus, the abandoned old tower was transformed into the first control tower observation coffee shop. The old tower is connected to the old air traffic control building; in addition to quietly observing aircraft indoors in the tower, one can also feel the roar of takeoffs and landings on the rooftop of the air traffic control building (outdoors).

This coffee shop that allows close "contact" with aircraft is indeed very attractive.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.