2019
U.S. CONTRACT TOWER ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL REPORT
American Association of Airport Executives
USCTA
U.S. CONTRACT TOWER ASSOCIATION (USCTA)
An affiliated organization of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)
2019-2020 USCTA Policy Board
Todd Woodard, C.M., (Spokane, Washington),Chair; Danette Bewley, A.A.E. (Tucson, Arizona), Vice Chair; Mark Courtney, A.A.E. (Lynchburg, Virginia), Vice Chair;
Michael Baylis (CI2); Clara Bennett (Boca Raton, Florida); Tom Bibb, A.A.E. (Nashville, Tennessee); Vic Bird (Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission); Jerry Brienza (Medford,
Oregon); Dave Byers (Quadrex); Steve Christmas (Serco); Richard Cloutier (Idaho Falls, Idaho); Shane Cordes (Midwest ATC); Peter Deeks (AJT Engineering); Jason Devillier
(Charlottesville, Virginia); Kelly Dollarhide (Jacksonville, Florida); Deanna Dresel (Midwest ATC); Pete Dumont (Air Traffic Control Association); Tim Edwards, A.A.E.
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania); Margaret Evanson (Mesa, Arizona); Ryan Frost (Naples, Florida); Andy Groth (Midwest ATC); Jeremy Keating, C.M. (Bullhead City, Arizona);
Doug Kimmel (Marion, Illinois); Andrella Kenner (CI2); Larry Krauter, A.A.E. (Spokane, Washington); Brian Lally (CTBX Aviation); Lance Lampkin (Norman, Oklahoma); Vinicio
Llerena (Victoria, Texas); Scotty Malta, A.A.E. (Atwater, California); Matt Massiano (SAAB Sensis); David McCann (Serco); Parker McClellan, A.A.E. (Panama City, Florida);
Keren Williams McLendon (RVA); Mike Olson, A.A.E. (Grand Island, Nebraska); Michael Pearson (Associations of Collegiate Training Institutions); Chris Pomeroy (Hailey,
Idaho); Eric Pratt, C.M. (McKinney, Texas); Paul Priegel (Stillwater, Oklahoma); Bryan Rodgers (State College, Pennsylvania); Tim Rogers, A.A.E. (Salina, Kansas); Jim Slate
(RVA); Richard Smith (Alhambra, California); Kurt Stanich (Waukesha, Wisconsin); Steve Stockam (Joplin, Missouri); Paul Wolownik (Wolen); Dirk Vanderleest (Concord,
North Carolina); Karl Von Hagel, A.A.E. (Cobb County, Georgia)
Todd Hauptli, President and CEO, AAAE
Spencer Dickerson, Senior Executive Vice President, AAAE, and Executive Director, USCTA
The Barclay Building // 601 Madison Street // Alexandria, VA // 22314 // 703-578-2511 // sdickerson@aaae.org // contracttower.org
Cover Photo: McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contract Tower Program Background ...................................................................................................................................5
2019 USCTA Activities and FAA Contract Tower Developments .........................................................................................7
Contract Towers in the News ...............................................................................................................................................24
FAA Contract Tower List........................................................................................................................................................54
FAA Contract Tower Points of Contact .................................................................................................................................59
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Lakeland
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U.S. Contract
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FAA CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The Government/Industry Partnership Dedicated to Air Traffic Safety
• T he FAA Contract Tower Program (FCT) enjoys strong bipartisan and bicameral support in Congress in recognition of the enhanced safety, improved air
traffic control services, and significant savings these control towers provide the agency and taxpayers. These benefits have been validated repeatedly by
the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. As of Dec. 31, 2019, 256 airports in 46 states participate in the program (245 in the fully
funded program and 11 in the cost-share program).
• T o illustrate the cost-effectiveness of the program to taxpayers, according to fiscal year 2017 FAA statistics, the towers in the FCT program handle
approximately 29 percent of all U.S. tower operations, but account for just 11 percent of FAA’s overall budget allotted to air traffic control tower
operations. Additionally, the contract tower program provides FAA and taxpayers annual savings of approximately $200 million ($2 billion over the
past 10 years).
•A
s a result of this 37-year, highly successful government/industry partnership, the FCT Program: (1) enhances aviation safety at airports that otherwise
would not have a tower; (2) provides significant cost savings to FAA and taxpayers; (3) plays a key role in connecting rural airports and communities
with the national air transportation system; (4) helps airports retain and develop commercial air service and general aviation; (5) promotes economic
development and creates jobs; (6) provides significant support for military readiness/training and national security operations (47 percent of all military
operations at civilian airports in the U.S. occur at FAA Contract Towers), disaster relief efforts, and homeland security/law enforcement operations; and (7)
consistently receives high marks for customer service from aviation users (pilots, airlines, FBOs, flight schools and corporate flight departments).
• T he vast majority of federal contract air traffic controllers are former FAA or military controllers. In addition, approximately 70 percent of all contract
controllers are veterans.
•A
ll federal contract controllers are FAA-certified and meet FAA training and operating standards. FAA manages and oversees all aspects of the FCT
program, including operating procedures, staffing plans, certification and medical tests of contract controllers, security and facility evaluations.
• Federal contract towers operate together with FAA-staffed facilities throughout the country as part of a unified national air traffic control system.
•W
ithout a federal program that provides necessary funding, sets safety and training standards, certifies operations and monitors all aspects of contract
tower facilities, many of these towers would be forced to close.
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Albert
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ACTIVITIES A N D
FA A F E D E R A L
CONTRACT TOWER
DEVELOPMENTS
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FAA CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Contract Tower Program, the agency contracts air traffic control
(ATC) services to the private sector at visual flight rule (VFR) airports. Since its inception in 1982, the program has
received positive endorsements from all parties involved, including FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB), the Department of Transportation (DOT) Inspector General (IG), airport management, Congress and, most
importantly, the users of the aviation system.
A total of 256 airports participate in the program as of Dec. 31, 2019. Airport managers note that government
budget constraints could force the closure of many of these facilities if they were not part of the FAA Contract
Tower Program. FAA contract towers receive continuous oversight and monitoring by FAA and all contract
controllers are certified by the agency. Members of Congress and DOT/FAA point to this program as an example
of how FAA, in partnership with local governments and the private sector, can provide an important service to
aviation users at a substantially reduced cost to taxpayers.
The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) created the U.S. Contract Tower Association (USCTA) in
1996 to promote the contract tower program and to enhance aviation safety at smaller airports. USCTA coordinates
contract tower issues on a regular basis with Congress, DOT/FAA, NTSB, the Government Accountability Office
and the DOT IG.
The primary advantages of this program are enhanced safety, improved ATC services and significant VFR ATC
cost savings to FAA. A DOT Inspector General audit of the FAA Contract Tower Program, released Nov. 5, 2012,
concluded that FAA contract towers continue to provide cost-effective and safe air traffic control services and
operate at a lower cost than similar FAA-operated towers.
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PRESIDENT SIGNS BILL APPROVING
RECORD CONTRACT TOWER FUNDING
CONGRESS ADVANCES BILL TO ADDRESS
CONTRACT CONTROLLER SHORTAGE
President Trump on Dec. 20 signed the fiscal year 2020 DOT/FAA appropriations
bill that includes a record $170 million in dedicated funding for the 245 fully funded
and 11 cost-share towers in FAA’s Contract Tower Program, $2 million more than
the fiscal year 2019 funding level.
The Senate Commerce Committee Dec. 11 approved the Continuity for Operators
with Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract Towers Act of 2019 (S. 2898),
which would allow retired FAA controllers to become controllers at contract tower
airports without requiring them to give up their federal annuity.
The Trump Administration’s budget request did not include any dedicated funding
for the program.
Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
introduced the bill.
The $170 million funding level should support several new start contract towers
and eligible non-towered airports to enter the program during fiscal year 2020.
Reps. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) and Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) introduced a companion
bill on the House side (H.R. 5297).
Additionally, the Senate committee report accompanying the legislation directs
FAA “to continue to operate 256 contract towers currently in the program, including
the contact tower cost share program, as well as expeditiously add qualified
eligible airports.” The report also directs the DOT Inspector General to provide a
report on “the policies, standards, methods, and practices employed by the FAA to
establish staffing levels at contract towers.”
The legislative initiative is designed to address short- and long-term staffing
challenges at FAA contract towers. If enacted into law, the measure would allow
approximately 100-150 FAA controllers who retire at age 56, the mandatory
retirement age for FAA controllers, to be applicants for controller positions at FAA
contract towers. There is no mandatory retirement age for contract controllers.
The report states that Congress “expects the FAA to expeditiously implement
Section 152 of the 2018 FAA Re-authorization Act that makes contract tower
construction/equipment a priority consideration for grants to eligible airports
under the Small Airport Fund.” The report also includes a statutory provision that
“prohibits funds in the bill from being used to withhold from consideration and
approval any new application for participation in the Contract Tower Program,
including applications in the Cost Share Program participants if the Administrator
determines such tower is eligible.”
Forty-six senators (14 Republicans and 32 Democrats) sent a joint letter to Senate
appropriations leaders in April, endorsing full and dedicated funding for the
contract tower program in FAA’s budget. The letter-writing effort was led by Sens.
James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
Senate Transportation Appropriations subcommittee Chairman Susan Collins
(R-Maine) said that the full committee received more than 950 funding requests and
that one of the most requested items was funding for FAA’s Contract Tower Program.
Eighty House members (57 Democrats and 23 Republicans) signed letters that
were sent in April to House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee leaders
to support full funding of the contract tower program in fiscal year 2020. The
letter-writing effort was led by Reps Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) and Frederica Wilson
(D-Fla.) and Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) and Rodney Davis (R-Ill.).
The legislation is similar to an exception that Congress provided for federal
controllers who became ATC instructors. Congress also has allowed other retired
federal employees to become re-employed without losing their social security
annuity, including certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and
retired federal law enforcement officers who serve as instructors at federal law
enforcement training centers.
AAAE, the U.S. Contract Tower Association and the National Air Traffic Controllers
Association co-signed a letter to Sens. Inhofe, Moran and Murray in support of
the legislation. The letter noted that the organizations “are deeply concerned
about the workforce challenges that we face across the aviation industry. All three
organizations are working together and with Congress and the administration to
ensure that there are enough controllers to accommodate the increasing staffing
needs we face at FAA air traffic control facilities and at the 256 airports that
participate in the FAA’s Contract Tower Program.”
Sen. Inhofe issued the following statement: “This legislation would remove the
disincentive for retired FAA air traffic controllers to work at federal contract towers.
It is a common-sense approach to ensuring our nation continues to have enough
air traffic controllers to meet the increasing staffing needs at air traffic facilities
that manage the safety and efficiency of our nation’s complex airspace. Air traffic
controllers ensure that our nation’s airspace remains the safest in the world — I
know because I talk directly to them every day I am piloting my plane in Oklahoma. I
am proud to author this legislation that would prevent those retired FAA controllers
who choose to continue to work as contract tower controllers from being penalized
and would bring back to the air traffic controller workforce scores of retired FAA
controllers who left the controller workforce rather than face this penalty.”
Rick Johnson, airport manager at Frederick, Md. (left), shows Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) (center)
the FAA Contract Tower at Frederick Municipal Airport, with Matthew Ramos, Midwest ACT
controller at Frederick (right).
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WORKING GROUP DELIBERATES SOLUTIONS
FOR CONTRACT TOWER STAFFING
FAA PLEDGES TO MEET ALL REQUIRED DEADLINES
FOR CONTRACT TOWERS
A high-level working group of FAA, AAAE and USCTA met at FAA Oct. 3 to discuss
possible short- and long-term solutions for federal contract tower staffing and other
issues and challenges.
Members of the House Aviation Subcommittee on Sept. 26 questioned FAA
officials about the agency’s implementation of provisions in the 2018 FAA
Reauthorization Act, which became law nearly one year ago.
The agenda included:
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) asked FAA Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell about
FAA’s progress in implementing language that makes contract tower construction
and equipment a priority consideration for grants to eligible airports under the AIP
Small Airport Fund. Stanton noted that this provision is very important to a new
control tower at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.
• F ederal Contract Tower (FCT) /FAA District relationship and expectations for
oversight, guidance and assistance
• P rocess and expectations for staffing impacts resulting in ATC-0 situations
due to personnel unavailable to keep the facility operating within the
published hours
• T ower radar displays requests for facilities that do not currently have and
expectations for use of certified tower radar displays. Also, discussion of
September 9 FAA memo on non-certified ADS-B displays in FAA contract
towers
• Use of third-party, web-based applications in FCT facilities
• Application process for new FCT applicants
Elwell replied that FAA will meet all implementation deadlines on contract towers.
In his written testimony, Elwell stated that, “FAA is making significant progress
on implementing the 2018 Act’s elimination of the $2 million cumulative Airport
Improvement Program (AIP) cap, and authorization for the FAA to use resources
from the Small Airport Fund (a key component of the AIP) for eligible contract tower
projects. The FAA has moved swiftly to implement these changes with updated
guidance, and is working with potential recipients of these funds for high-priority
tower projects.”
•D
iscussion with HR official(s) at FAA regarding timing/process of FAA hiring
contract controllers for controller slots at FAA-operated towers
• L egislative proposal by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) (S.2198) to create onthe-job training opportunities for controllers at FCTs
• F ederal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity legislative fix for FAA
controllers who retire at age 56 who wish to work at FCTs — similar to
what Congress did for retired-FAA controllers going to work as instructors at
the OKC training academy.
Among the AAAE/USCTA participants at the working group session were: Clara
Bennett, executive director, Boca Raton Airport; Jerry Brienza, director, Rogue
Valley International-Medford Airport; Paul Priegel, C.M., director, Stillwater
Regional Airport; Shane Cordes, president and CEO, Midwest Air Traffic Control
Service; Jim Slate, vice president, Air Traffic Services, Robinson Aviation (RVA);
Dave McCann, director of aviation, Serco; Michael Baylis, vice president, strategy
and business development, CI2 Aviation; and Mike Pearson, general counsel,
Arizona State University.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) (center) with Paul Priegel, C.M., director of Stillwater
Regional Airport (left), and Lance Lamkin, C.M., administrator of Max Westheimer Airport.
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The FAA Contract Tower at Mississippi’s Golden Triangle Regional Airport,
photographed by the airport’s drone. The airport uses the drone for roof inspections
and other projects.
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SENATE PANEL DISCUSSES FAA
CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM
FAA’s Contract Tower Program on July 31 was discussed at a Senate Transportation
Appropriations Subcommittee oversight hearing. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) noted the
“critical importance of contract towers” to the national airspace and asked how DOT and
FAA are working collaboratively to ensure the program remains effective.
Then-Acting Deputy Administrator Carlson Burleson said that the FAA Contract Tower
Program is “an important and efficient” way to provide air traffic control service for many
parts of the country. Burleson said that the agency reopened the contract tower application
process in June and is currently reviewing six new applications. He added that benefit/cost
analyses for those applicants would be completed by September.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) also spoke about the importance of the contract tower
program, noting that it can facilitate aerial firefighting and medivac services. She noted that
a number of FAA air traffic controllers are being recruited from contract towers, causing a
workforce issue that is “a growing concern” for the program.
Burleson replied that the issue of staffing at contract towers has come up at the agency and
that FAA’s Air Traffic Organization is holding discussions about the topic.
INHOFE, KING INTRODUCE PLANE ACT TO ENABLE
THE NEXT ERA OF AVIATION
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), one of the leading proponents of the FAA contract tower
program in the Senate, introduced a bill (S.2198) July 23 along with Senator Agnus King
(I-Maine) — “PLANE Act of 2019 — Promoting the Launch of Aviation’s Next Era.”
The press release from Sen. Inhofe’s office states:
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine),
introduced the Promoting the Launch of Aviation’s Next Era (PLANE) Act of 2019. This
bipartisan legislation would empower the voices of pilots, invest in airport infrastructure
and ensure more opportunities for a trained aviation workforce.
“The PLANE Act truly sets a positive path for the future of the aviation industry,” Inhofe
said. “This legislation enhances legal protections for pilots that must contend with the
federal bureaucracy, requires additional transparency when FAA makes decisions impacting
aviation stakeholders and promotes investment at general aviation airports — the
backbone of our national aviation system. It would also secure the future of aviation by
ensuring the air traffic controllers and FAA designees our aviation community depends on
have access to needed opportunities for training and development.
“This bill would provide the opportunity for general aviation airports to be designated
disaster relief airports to better support community disaster response and recovery efforts.
After the recent flooding and tornadoes in our state, Oklahoma knows all too well the need
for improved infrastructure when responding to natural disasters. I’m pleased my legislation
will give this additional support to communities in our state and across the country. Finally,
all aviation user fees should go to support the aviation community, and this bill would
correct the diversion of aviation fuel taxes that supports non-aviation infrastructure.”
“For rural Maine communities, general aviation is a vital lifeline – both literally and
economically,” said King. “This legislation would make important investments in this pillar
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of our nation’s transportation system and would cut through bureaucratic burdens,
so these airports, the men and women who operate them, and the pilots who travel
to and from them can continue providing vital services to rural Maine people. This
is an important, bipartisan bill that will help power local economies and ensure all
Maine people can access lifesaving medical care when facing an emergency.”
• R equires additional transparency in any FAA rulemaking, and full
consideration of the impact any rulemaking may have on any certificate
holders.
The bill has the strong support of stakeholders in the pilot community and general
aviation industry. In a letter touting the introduction of this bill, stakeholders from
across the entire community wrote:
•D
esignates qualified GA airports as “Disaster Relief Airports,” so that when
a disaster occurs, they have the infrastructure to better support community
response efforts.
“The bipartisan PLANE Act sets the stage for the future of general aviation by
empowering the voices of pilots, investing in airport infrastructure, and ensuring
more opportunities for a trained aviation workforce…. We believe this legislation
should be enacted to promote the launch of aviation’s next era for the benefit of the
entire aviation community.”
• E stablishes a public-private partnership for general aviation airports to
attract private sector investment
• E mpowers trained private citizens who want to certify pilots and aircraft
(DPE/DAR) by giving them necessary civil liability protection.
•A
llows Air Traffic Control applicants to include classroom and simulation
training within an FAA-approved formal training process.
• E nsures that tax receipts from all aviation fuel sources are deposited in the
airport and airways trust fund.
Details of S. 2198, the PLANE Act:
• E xplicitly states that pilots facing an investigation by FAA can appeal to a
federal district court for a de novo trial and clarifies which party bears the
burden of proof.
LOW ALTITUDE SERVICE AVAILABLE AT
109 CONTRACT TOWER AIRPORTS
• E nhances legal protections for the aviation community by ensuring the
NTSB has the authority to review the denial of an airmen medical certificate
and require FAA to find reasonable grounds to require the reexamination of
a pilot certificate.
FAA announced that the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability
(LAANC) service is now available at 109 airports with contract towers.
•
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LAANC allows certified remote pilots to obtain near real-time airspace
authorizations, if the pilot intends to fly a small unmanned aircraft system below
pre-approved altitudes near an airport in controlled airspace. Without LAANC,
pilots are forced to obtain the necessary authorization through a slower FAA
process that can take up to 90 days. The announcement means LAANC is now
available at about 400 air traffic facilities overall, covering nearly 600 airports.
AAAE/USCTA has urged FAA to make the LAANC service available at all contract
towered airports. Until now, LAANC was not available at any of these airports.
AAAE/ USCTA expects additional contract tower airports to be included in the
LAANC program throughout 2019.
AAAE/USCTA/FAA CONTRACT TOWER WORKSHOP
HELD IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
The U.S. Contract Tower Association (USCTA) presented Sen. Maria Cantwell
(D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, with the 2019
Contract Tower Congressional Leadership Award during the May 15-16 AAAE/
USCTA/FAA Contract Tower Workshop in Washington, D.C.
In presenting the award, Larry Krauter, A.A.E., CEO of Spokane International and
AAAE secretary/treasurer, highlighted Cantwell’s strong support of contract towers
and her efforts to protect the towers from being shuttered in 2013 due to planned
federal budget cuts.
In her remarks to workshop delegates, Cantwell underscored the value of the
aviation system to the U.S. economy and the important role that contract towers
play in that system.
During the two-day conference, the more than 90 delegates heard from Teri Bristol,
CEO of FAA’s Air Traffic Organization; Bailey Edwards, FAA assistant administrator
for policy, international affairs and environment; officials from FAA’s Contract Tower
Office; Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association;
and Matt Hampton, assistant inspector general for aviation in DOT’s Office of
Inspector General, among others.
In a “fireside chat” format with Spencer Dickerson, AAAE’s senior executive
vice president for global operations, Bristol stated that “unstable funding” for
FAA “makes it hard to execute programs as designed.” She added that in many
of the agency’s programs, “We are still recovering from the 35-day government
shutdown.” That shutdown lasted from December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019,
and temporarily halted many FAA programs.
She said the ATO now is “on the back side” of controller retirements, but this
means that “training, training, training,” is a big focus. The aging of ATC facilities
is another issue that the agency must face.
Bristol praised the agency’s contract tower program, saying, “I see those towers as
an extension of our towers.”
Edwards announced that, effective June 1, FAA will begin accepting applications
for the contract tower program. He added that the target is 90 days for FAA to
respond to applications to the program. Bristol cautioned, however, that while the
outlook for funding is good, “We have to work within the appropriation we have.”
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In response to a question regarding the remote tower pilot program, now
being tested in Leesburg, Virginia, Edwards said that the results of that
test will determine whether the towers can be certified. Bristol added that,
while remote towers hold “tremendous possibilities,” FAA will need time to
fine tune their capabilities.
A “huge challenge” for ATC contractors is the fact that controllers at
contract facilities tend to move to FAA employment, several delegates
noted. Bristol responded that, “We can put our heads together and
strategize on what we can do to overcome those challenges.”
Hampton said that his office is continuing to work on the latest audit of
the contract tower program, begun in August 2018, but he noted that other
issues, include a review of the Boeing 737 MAX certification process, has
diverted attention. He stated that the previous five reviews of the contract
tower program consistently have praised its value.
The current audit will encompass a more sophisticated cost/safety
analysis, however, he said. This has slowed down the audit process, and it
is taking longer than expected.
Rinaldi emphasized that operating the current ATC system under an
uncertain congressional funding process “is not realistic.” He stated that
NATCA has a good relationship with contract towers, adding that the goal
should be to “lean forward into safety cultures and work together.”
Sponsors of the workshop were: AJT Engineering, Alliant, Chubb, CTBX
Aviation Group, JOTRON, Midwest ATC, NATCA, Quadrex Aviation,
Robinson Aviation (RVA), SAAB, Serco and Wolen.
CINCINNATI LUNKEN AIRPORT WINS
WILLIE CARD AWARD
Cincinnati Lunken Airport, operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service,
won the 2019 Willie F. Card Contract Tower Service Award, which was
presented during the May 15-16 AAAE/USCTA/FAA Contract Tower
Workshop in Washington, D.C.
On multiple occasions, the Lunken ATC manager and staff have initiated
procedures to improve and enhance the safety of airport operations, one
of which was instituted nationally by FAA. The tower staff developed
a protocol to alleviate pilot confusion caused by approach ends of two
intersecting runways. The tower implemented a practice to instruct all
airlines to hold short at the first runway hold line until further instructed
to cross that runway for departure on the other runway. This practice not
only eliminated the confusion and two of the six hot spots, but also was
commended by FAA and within two years instituted under FAA Orders
7110.65 and 7210.3.
Tower personnel regularly work with the local FSDO on accident prevention
by presenting at pilot training seminars four to six times per year and
facilitating tower visits by student pilots in need of an aerial view to better
understand runway configurations.
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The tower team works with airport administration to improve communication
with field maintenance crews during grass cutting and snow removal
operations and daily airfield inspections. Safety zones were identified, mapped
and established by this coordination.
Tower personnel played a key role when the Solar Impulse chose Cincinnati
Lunken Airport as one of five U.S. airports for a stopover on its historic crosscountry flight during the summer of 2013.
Other airports nominated for the award are:
Anoka County-Blaine Airport (Minnesota) One of the busiest airports
in the state, Anoka County-Blaine accommodated more than 75,000 aircraft
operations in 2018 and has the most diverse mix of aircraft in the Twin Cities
metro area. The tower is operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service.
Tower personnel have provided service to more than 3.3 million customers in
the past 22 years, and have received a number of safety awards for their efforts
to promote runway safety. In February, tower personnel were instrumental in
preparing for Super Bowl LII and the nearly 1,500 corporate jets that flew into
the area for this event.
Among other educational outreach activities, the tower staff has devoted
thousands of hours to enhance the curriculum of a local K-5 STEM magnet
school. The controllers encourage and inspire area students to explore careers
in aviation.
Beverly Regional Airport (Massachusetts) Beverly Regional, a reliever
to Boston Logan International and a Business Category airport, has been
experiencing significant growth over the past four years in all categories of
users. The tower is operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service. Given
the growth potential, the airport is beginning a new master plan to determine
whether the primary runway needs to be expanded.
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Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field (Georgia) The airport
has grown from primarily a GA facility to a corporate airport that serves many
large corporate jets. The tower is managed by Robinson Aviation (RVA). The
tower manager has developed and implemented a facility quality assurance
and quality control plan for conducting monthly quality assurance reviews to
measure safety and customer service performance. Further, in 2018, the tower’s
customer surveys reflected an excellent score of 926 out of a possible 1,000
points.
During the recent Super Bowl LIII, the tower handled more than 600 additional
IFR aircraft. At its peak, 145 additional aircraft were parked at the airport.
The tower has supported several airport improvements in recent years,
including adding a taxiway, and adding approach lights to Runway 27.
Easton Airport (Maryland) A regional airport that has 220 based aircraft
and houses a major flight training center for U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen
for their initial flight training each summer, Eaton/Newnam Field also is used
by the Secret Service as a “force down” airport for small aircraft violating the
Washington, D.C., restricted flying zone. The tower is operated by Midwest Air
Traffic Control Service.
The tower handles 73,000 annual operations and is an integral asset for the
Talbot County Airport Authority and the community of Easton. The airport
currently is expanding the main runway, which will continue over the next
three-five years, which requires close coordination with the control tower
personnel to ensure its success.
Tower personnel participate in several programs designed to elevate
awareness of flight safety and to encourage local participation in special
events. Further, the tower manager has followed a quality assurance program
designed to keep controllers aware of new procedures and enhance their
knowledge through random audits and “over-the-shoulder” observations.
The potential for an expanded runway ultimately will place more responsibility
on the controller crew due to an expected increase in operations.
The air traffic manager attends all airport commission meetings, creates reports
and statistics for the airport and participates actively in all capital improvement
phasing and planning projects.
Cecil Airport (Florida) With a complex airfield, Cecil Airport includes two
sets of parallel runways, plus hosts Cecil Spaceport. The tower is operated by
Robinson Aviation, RVA.
The tower serves two critically important Department of Homeland Security
aviation units, two companies that provide MRO functions for the Defense
Department, and one U.S. Army National Guard aviation battalion, among other
agencies and companies.
The airport will break ground on its new air traffic control tower and spaceport
operations center in July. The tower manager and staff have worked closely
with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority through design of the $10 million
project.
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) (right) visited the Bloomington, Illinois, FAA Contract
Tower on Feb. 4.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 17
The tower has produced two consecutive RVA Air Traffic Controller of the Year
awards.
Kenosha Regional Airport (Wisconsin) A large general aviation airport,
Kenosha Regional is a designated reliever for Chicago O’Hare and General Mitchell
Milwaukee International airports and ranked as the fourth busiest in the state in
2018. The tower is operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service.
Due to increased demand, the airport has launched reconstruction and extension
of the main runway and taxiway. The airport also will add a Customs inspection
facility in the near future. Airport management has expressed confidence that
tower personnel will continue to maintain safe and efficient airfield operations
during construction.
Tower staff routinely host visiting groups, provide school programs on the job of a
controller, and work with law enforcement units to provide training.
Lihue Airport (Kauai, Hawaii) The tower serves a highly complex Delta airspace
and worked 126,981 operations in 2018. The tower is operated by Midwest
Air Traffic Service. One of many challenges on the airfield is the fact that the
ARFF station is located between the runways, requiring runway crossing for all
emergency responses.
(Top) Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) meets with Alexandria International Airport
officials and the Central Louisiana delegation.
(Bottom) The delegation meets with Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.). The visits with
Kennedy and Abraham involved discussions that included FAA’s Contract Tower
Program, among other subjects.
Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (Texas) The airport has 400 operations daily
on a 4,000-foot runway, and hosts 250 based aircraft. The tower is operated by
Robinson Aviation (RVA). Recently, the airport became home to a new flight school,
which increased operations from 77,389 in fiscal year 2017 to 110,315 in fiscal
year 2018. The tower staff worked diligently to maintain its safety standards and
succeeded.
The tower provides annual tours to a number of groups, and a few
volunteer their time on their days off to teach the aviation curriculum at a nearby
high school. They also encourage students to pursue a career in aviation.
The air traffic manager attends all stakeholder safety meetings at the airport and
conducts an annual runway safety action team.
Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (Florida) The airport consistently
ranks in the top 10 federal contract tower total traffic count ranking. In 2018, it was
listed at number eight. The tower is operated by Robinson Aviation (RVA).
The airport has a mix of GA, military, corporate, air taxi and banner tow operations.
With two runways, an overlying Class Charlie airspace, and two Naval Air Stations
sandwiched between the airport’s Class Delta airspace, Jacksonville Executive at
Craig Airport is one of the most complex and challenging airports to provide ATC
services in the country.
18 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
The tower manager created briefing cards for ground vehicle operators and pilots
to help smooth out the communication process. She also assisted the local police
department in establishing procedures for hazardous drone response.
During the year, the tower provided exceptional service through some extraordinary
situations that included a missile alert, floods, multiple major construction projects,
three hurricanes and a volcano eruption.
Martin County/Witham Field (Florida) With three runways and four taxiways,
Witham Field’s airfield hosts a complex mix of traffic that includes flight school
training. The tower is operated by Robinson Aviation (RVA). In 2018, numerous VIP
TFRs imposed a greater workload and test for the tower team, which handled the
traffic safely and efficiently.
Airport improvements included the construction of several new taxiway connectors,
forcing the closure of the primary instrument runway. The construction increased
runway crossings, placing operational constraints on flexibility. Despite this, tower
personnel managed more than 110,000 operations in 2018.
A cash award was presented to a controller for the handling of an incident in June
2018. In addition, the tower received a 99.9 percent grade from a 2018 service
audit.
Ohio State University Airport The OSU tower is the third busiest in the state
and first for GA and air taxi operations. The tower is operated by Midwest Air
Traffic Control Service.
The airport is home to several corporate jets, Ohio State Flight School students,
four active flying clubs, OSU-based highway patrol and state-owned aircraft, along
with lifeguard helicopter operations. During a recent runway construction project,
tower personnel worked with a single runway for nearly six months, never turning
away service.
2019 USCTA ACTIVITIES AND FAA FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER DEVELOPMENTS
The tower has undergone a renovation that includes installation of a Flight Data
Input-Output System that comple-ments the existing STARS.
Saipan International Airport (Northern Mariana Islands) As the only airport
located on the island of Saipan, the facility serves as the gateway to the Mariana
Islands and services direct flights to and from South Korea, Hong Kong, China and
Guam. The tower is operated by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service.
The tower personnel performed exceptional service after Super Typhoon Yutu in
2018. Immediately after the storm, the controllers kept the tower open each day
for 12 hours for humanitarian and rescue flights, providing service with minimum
equipment due to damage from the storm. At one point, the controllers were forced
to relocate to a mobile tower due to health and safety concerns in the tower cab.
Tower personnel played an instrumental role in the success of the resumption of
international flights after the storm. Even with reduced resources, the controllers
worked to ensure that each flight operation was safe.
San Diego Brown Field The airport ranks as one of the most operationally
complex airports, accommodating an extremely diverse fleet mix of aircraft. The
tower is operated by Serco, Inc.
In addition to the complex mix of aircraft, the geography of the area presents
an array of challenges, with multiple summits in the area creating obstacles to
approaching, landing and departing aircraft. Further, the airport is 1.5 miles north
of the U.S.-Mexico border and Tijuana International Airport, which creates an
abundance of traffic conflicts to arriving and departing traffic at Brown Field.
19
Regular meetings between tower personnel and members of FAA’s Runway Safety
Action Team have produced results that include a color-coding of ramps to make
identification of an aircraft’s position easier for the controllers and pilots. A side
effect of the ramp marking was the creation of a de-facto vehicle lane, which has
reduced the need for airport drivers to call the tower for permission to enter the
taxiway.
Smyrna Airport (Tennessee) A reliever airport for Nashville International,
Smyrna also serves as a hurricane evacuation airport for the U.S. Navy Training
Air Wing 5 and Marie Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365. The tower is operated by
Robinson Aviation (RVA).
When weather-related evacuation from Pensacola, Florida, is required, it results
in 120 aircraft being sent to Smyrna until the storm passes. Smyrna tower has
accommodated these aircraft on multiple occasions without incident.
Tower personnel work efficiently with numerous student pilots on a daily basis.
Three flight schools operate at Smyrna, and the airport handles flight school
operations from the nearby Middle Tennessee State University aerospace
department.
Southern Illinois Airport The volume of student training flights and air taxi
operations from Southern Illinois University’s aviation program ranks the airspace
around the airport as the fifth busiest in the state. The tower is operated by
Midwest Air Traffic Control Service.
The North Perry Airport (Broward County, Florida) FAA Contract Tower and the lineup of aircraft on the ramp. The tower is the second busiest contract tower in the nation, according
to airport Manager Nina MacPherson, C.M.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 19
Special events, such as the August 2017 eclipse of the sun, brought
more than 190 extra aircraft to the airport to view the phenomenon.
Tower personnel handled planes ranging from light single engine to
Falcon 900s with no incidents.
During the past year, tower personnel safely accommodated
a taxiway and ramp re-marking project, FAA weather station
replacement, numerous sign and lighting projects, roadway
relocation project, and more.
Stennis International Airport (Mississippi). The tower is
operated by Robinson Aviation (RVA). The airport completed a
runway mill and overlay project in 2018 and five previous apron
construction/reconstruction projects. The oversight of the controller
staff has allowed construction of these projects to proceed in a safe
and efficient manner.
Airfield operations have demonstrated continued growth since
the tower was activated in 2007. The tower staff handles a mix of
aircraft types, both military and civilian.
Controllers’ customer service attitude includes briefing of adjoining
restrictive airspace. They have also taken the lead in UAV/UAS
outreach in the community.
severe winter weather, controllers spent nights in the tower to
ensure its opening the following morning. Air Traffic Manager Jim
Pate is a support of the local FAA Flight Standards Office accident
prevention program and has been a featured speaker at flight safety
seminars.
Among other benefits to the airport, the tower personnel maintain
a guide to local air traffic procedures that is distributed at pilot
briefings and is supplied electronically to all area flight schools.
Pate has been a key player in negotiating letters of agreement
between the Philadelphia Tracon and the satellite towers.
Wiley Post Airport (Oklahoma), a reliever for Will Rogers
World Airport, functions as a major center for corporate and
business aviation. The tower is operated by Robinson Aviation
(RVA). The airport is a thriving environment for major overhaul
and maintenance, avionics repair, paint and interior refurbishment
businesses. Although 300 aircraft are based at Wiley Post, many
of the operators are unfamiliar with the geometry, plus the airport
hosts a significant amount of transient traffic. This combination
creates a challenging environment for the tower personnel.
Trenton-Mercer Airport (New Jersey) hosts a robust mix of
commercial, corporate, GA and military operations on a daily basis,
making it a challenging environment for even the most seasoned
air traffic controllers. The tower is operated by Midwest Air Traffic
Control Service.
The airport in 2014 began a multi-year, multi-phase infrastructure
upgrade project that is still in progress to replace, rehab or
reconstruct all runways, taxiways, airfield signage and lighting that
has required temporary closures throughout the airfield. During
these closures, the tower personnel have coordinated with airport
administration to keep aircraft operates up to date on construction
progress and temporary changes to the airfield geometry.
During the past year, traffic volume at the airport has increased,
especially due to the increase in Frontier Airlines’ service. During
The tower staff averaged 4.95 out of a possible 5 rating from pilots
using their service in a 2018 survey.
Johnson County Airport Commission Deputy Director Larry
Peet and airport Executive Director Aaron Otto host Rep.
Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) at the New Century AirCenter. Rep.
Davids is member of the House Transportation Committee
and subcommittee on aviation, which has jurisdiction over
FAA. Rep. Davids is the latest member of Congress and their
staffs to visit Johnson County’s Airport, including Rep. Roger
Marshall (R-Kan.) and former Rep. Kevin Yoder.
20 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate
Commerce Committee (center), was presented with the 2019 Contract
Tower Congressional Leadership Award during the May 15-16 AAAE/
UCTA/FAA Contract Tower Workshop in Washington, D.C.
2019 USCTA ACTIVITIES AND FAA FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER DEVELOPMENTS
21
North
Perry
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association
Annual
ReportAirport
// 21
2 0 19 U. S .
CONTRACT TOWER ASSOCIATION ANNUAL WORKSHOP
May 15-16, 2019 // Washington, D.C.
22 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
2019 USCTA ACTIVITIES AND FAA FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER DEVELOPMENTS
23
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 23
Wittman
Airport
24 // 2019Regional
U.S. Contract
Tower Association Annual Report
2019 USCTA ACTIVITIES AND FAA FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER DEVELOPMENTS
25
CONTRACT
TOWERS IN
THE NEWS
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 25
26
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Saab To Supply Remote Tower
Systems To Airports In The
Netherlands
Airport Technology
Dec. 12, 2019
Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) has
selected Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions (SDATS) to
supply re-mote tower systems.
Under the 20-year framework agreement, SDATS will
install remote towers at Groningen Airport Eelde and
Maastricht Airport, as well as a remote tower centre
at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
The contract also includes a provision for other
airports and functions.
SDATS CEO Per Ahl said: “We are proud to be trusted
by LVNL to deliver digital towers for their future air
traffic control infrastructure. This contract will be the
first to cover a countrywide implementation.
“With our second generation of digital towers,
the Netherlands will possess new world-class
capabilities. We see LVNL as a perfect partner to
further enhance our concept in the coming decade.”
The delivery of the towers will commence next year,
with operations expected to begin in 2021.
The digital air traffic control solution was launched
in Sweden in 2015. Örnsköldsvik Airport was the first
airport to use remote air traffic control.
LVNL Regional Unit general manager Hans-Peter
Spies said: “Saab has proven itself capable of
delivering a solid remote tower technology.
“The Saab approach distinguishes itself in its
attention to the switch from the current way of
handling traffic to handling it with a remote tower.
Saab will support us in the further development of
the system, safety analyses and training courses for
air traffic controllers.”
Pilots And Air Traffic Controllers
The Relationship Needs To Work–
Here Are Tips To Make It So
Flying Magazine
By Rob Mark
Dec. 12, 2019
Good communications is the two-way street that
links pilots and controllers, but it depends upon each
side clearly articulating their needs.
The forum room at AirVenture’s Pilot Proficiency
Center off Boeing Plaza is nearly full as the afternoon
sun begins to drive people inside for a few minutes
of cool air before the airshow. Even at 83 degrees,
it’s still a great day for AirVenture 2019, following the
torrential rains earlier in the week that threatened
to swamp campers. The Profi-ciency Center’s forum
room is attached to the training hall where a dozen
and a half pilots at a time learn the intricacies of IFR
and VFR flight on 18 Redbird simulators. In the forum
room, there’s training of a different sort going on.
Not surprising, many of the heads in the room are
covered either in gray hair or a mop in the midst of
that metamorphosis. But there are also quite a few
young faces eager to hear one of the many National
Air Traffic Controllers Association seminars being
presented this week. The forums are the outreach
program conceived by the NATCA, the bargaining
agent for all 14,331 FAA-employed air traffic
controllers, along with 481 controllers at the 102
NATCA-represented federal contract towers. NATCA
also represents more than 5,000 other aviation-safety
professionals in 14 bargaining units, as well as 56
Department of Defense-employed controllers at
five military facilities—not including Andrews Air
Force Base which is an FAA tower staffed by union
controllers.
Last year, SDATS was contracted to install and
operate digital towers at Scandinavian Mountains
Airport in Sälen, Sweden.
No union business is being discussed here today
though. The handful of air traffic controllers on duty
are poised to answer questions and explain how air
traffic controllers perform their critical roles. They’re
also hoping to crush some of the myths that exist
between people who speak to each other but almost
never meet in person. Controllers hear the voices of
the pilots in their headsets and often come to know
some pilots as friends. Pilots hear those oftenfamiliar voices through their headsets too, but have
only that familiar winking light on their transponder
to know ATC is there, watching nearly every move.
In 2017, SDATS secured a contract from Cranfield
University, UK, to deploy a digital air traffic control
(ATC) system at Cranfield Airport.
Relationships like this can strain though when
patience levels shrink during an in-flight emergency
or when one party underappreciates the job of the
Established in 2016, Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions
is a joint venture between Saab and the Swedish
Civil Aviation Administration (LFV).
26 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Northwest Florida Beaches
International Airport
other. But solid relationships between pilots and controllers is the foundation
upon which our complex air traffic control system—the largest in the world—is
built. Each side needs the other. Without pilots, controllers would be unnecessary.
Without ATC, flying safely would be very much in jeopardy.
Good communications is the two-way street that links pilots and controllers, but it
depends upon each side clearly articulating their needs. ATC’s safety-guaranteeing
instructions are so specific that controllers demand they be repeated back
word-for-word in order to prevent a col lision on the ground or in the air. Simple
responses like “roger” or “affirmative” only waste time, forcing controllers to
repeat information that anyone flying an airplane today should already know how
to explain. The NATCA organizes these forums at AirVenture to let the flying public
listen to controllers explain some of the common problems they’re often faced with
and how to resolve them.
This afternoon’s session, “Don’t Let That Cloud Fool You,” is being facilitated by
Indianapolis Center controller Bob Obma who challenged the audience: “Raise your
hand if you pay taxes.” Except for the few teenagers in the room, all the hands
quickly fly up. “Then you’re already paying for the air traffic system,” he says.
“Why not use it?” And so goes the back-and-forth session explaining what center
controllers see on their radar and how they can help pilots in distress. Before
the hour’s over, the roar of jets departing Wittman Airport’s Runway 36 begins
drowning out some of his explanations as the airshow begins.
Pilots of any category would need to be brain-dead not to pick up some valuable
operational nuggets from these sessions. In Obma’s session, I’m reminded that
radar controllers are only allowed to descend an aircraft to a specific floor altitude
to prevent collisions with ground obstacles. Controllers call these their minimum
vectoring altitudes. Surprisingly, Obma says, he has no idea why the government
doesn’t publish these altitudes anywhere for the rest of us to see.
to Speak ATC, Communicating with Confidence and Clarity, Best Practices for
Avoiding Common Mistakes, and Rarely Used Tools for VFR Pilots.
Richardson says: “We just hit 20 years as an exhibitor at AirVenture. The first
presentation was probably 15 years ago. In 2019, we averaged between 135 to 150
people at each presentation, times 24 presentations, so that’s about 3,400 people
total.” While that number pales in comparison to the 600,000-plus people who
attended AirVenture, these were 3,400 people who very much wanted to know
more about that semi-secret relationship between pilots and controllers.
Richard Kennington—a controller at the PDX tower in Portland, Oregon—tells me
his presentations are driven by a desire to bust up a big myth that still interferes
with pilot/controller relationships, “that controllers are all stressed-out people just
waiting for a pilot to make a mistake so they can lift their certificate.” Obma and
Kennington both confirm, “nothing is further from the truth.”
Working at a Class C-airspace airport, Kennington offers a glimpse of how the tone
of a pilot’s voice speaks volumes about their ability to handle a given situation. “I
know it’s not good to judge people” by their voices, he says. “Well, I’m here to tell
you, I’m constantly judging a pilot’s skills by how they handle the radio.” (Pilots do
the same to air traffic controllers, by the way.) “If I see a 3-mile hole on final to get
out a departure, but I don’t have confidence in the pilot behind the hold short lines,
that airplane isn’t going anywhere.” His criteria? “On initial call, does the pilot
prattle on or do they use short, concise wording? Do they use proper phraseology?
Do they sound confident?” He makes the discussion practical by talking about
radar flight-following services. “Those are [on a] workload-permitting basis, of
course, but if it looks like a particular pilot is going to be high maintenance, I may
terminate radar with them because I don’t have the time to deal with them.”
As summer winds down, the FAA is a tad busy dealing with a number of issues,
such as getting the agency’s new administrator, Steve Dickson, up to speed as he
tries to untangle some of the knots into which the agency seems to have tied its
tail. The NATCA people were eager to help us talk to controllers in the trenches,
so to speak. Doug Church and Kelly Richardson of the communications office at
NATCA began by reminding me there’s a wealth of pilot/controller resources
available on the union’s website.
Fear not, you pilots already worried about pressing the PTT key; Kennington
presents solutions. “If you’re unfamiliar with our [or any ATC] operation, just tell
us. Don’t try to fake it. If you’re a student pilot, tell me, and I’ll treat you with kid
gloves. I won’t give you complex instructions. I’ll work with you.” He also warns,
“Don’t guess at what you think I’m expecting you to do, just ask for a clarification.”
When controllers realize a pilot’s new or struggling a bit, they’ll pass this message
onto the next controller with, “This guy is unfamiliar, or he’s not doing too well
today, so keep an eye on him.” Kennington says: “If you just tell me the truth, I
automatically become more sympathetic. Then if you make a mistake, I’m not all
that upset.” It’s not a sign of weakness to utter, “Please say again.”
I spoke to Kelly Richardson a few days after AirVenture, and he detailed the union’s
outreach programs called “Talk ATC With NATCA” at the nation’s largest airshow
with almost-hourly presentations on nearly a dozen topics. A few include: How
Kennington spoke to pilots about understanding the big picture of what’s going on
around them. At Portland, “I’ll often have Southwest taxi out and tell me he’s ready
for an immediate if I need it. That tells me this guy has been listening on the radio
(left to right) USCTA Policy Board
Chair Todd Woodard, C.M., and
Zach Mallove, senior policy advisor from Senator Patty Murray’s
(D-Wash.) Washington, D.C., office,
during a July tour of the Felts Field
contract tower in Spokane, Wash.
A controller explains the airspace
while Larry Krauter, A.A.E., airport
CEO and AAAE second vice chair
looks on.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 27
28
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
and has great situational awareness. The same applies when someone says
they’re happy to take off VFR and pick up their IFR clearance in the air.”
Just as pilots start out knowing next to nothing about how an airplane flies
or how to handle the radio smoothly, air traffic controllers must learn the biz
as well. Pilots should know though that ATC trainees always work under the
guiding eye of a fully certified instructor. There simply aren’t enough air traffic
controllers to go around these days, so expect to hear controllers on the
radio who might be a bit unsure of themselves. Once a trainee controller has
enough experience to handle a tower frequency or radar position alone—a
process that can take years—they become certified professional controllers.
I asked Kennington what gets under a controller’s skin the most. He didn’t
even hesitate with his answer. “VFR airplanes that skirt the edge of our
airspace and never talk to us. Their navigation equipment is so good these
days, pilots can do this and be incredibly accurate about not entering our
airspace. But just because it’s legal doesn’t make it smart—or safe.”
The top of Portland’s Class C is 4,000 feet, for example, and that makes it legal
for a VFR airplane to overfly at 4,500 feet and never call ATC, radar service in
that outer area being voluntary and all. “But sometimes those VFRs at 4,500
feet end up flying right into my departure corridor. That’s when we start using
what I call “ninja” vectors to keep the departures away from the VFRs. Once
they overfly, they’ll end up in my arrival corridor next, which is just as bad.”
Importantly, the VFR pilot probably had no idea they were even impacting
Portland’s traffic. They may even think they’re helping controllers by not wasting
their time. “We’d much rather talk to these people,” Kennington says.
Kennington repeated one of the most common questions he hears from
pilots. “What should I say when I first call in?” He suggests pilots “make
the initial conversation as simple as possible. First, of course, listen to the
frequency, and be sure you’re not about to cut off someone who is already
talking.” When you’re ready, he says, “Just tell me who you are, where you
are and what you want from me.” For instance, “Portland, Citabria 9MK, 15
east at 2,500 feet, inbound with ATIS Mike.”
Kennington says controllers prefer pilots to be short and concise, especially if
there are already quite a few other airplanes on the frequency. “Please don’t
give us your life story on initial call,” he says. Another problem he runs across
much too often are pilots in trouble for one reason or another who wait too
long to call for help, such as when they’re running low on fuel. “If pilots wait
too long, the options we have available to help are very limited,” he says.
Air traffic controllers at one of the busiest terminal radar approach control
facilities in the world, Chicago O’Hare, recently shared a complex story of a
flight hazard much like what Kennington explained. It highlights the occasional
ambiguities of the ATC system and the threats they sometimes invite.
One ORD controller told me of a midair-collision potential that exists around
the airspace along Chicago’s lake-front, just south of the old Meigs Field
Airport. Glance at a Chicago VFR chart and you’ll see that “Chicago Midway
Airport’s Class C airspace is sandwiched beneath the overlying Class B.” The
controller says: “It has a cutout to protect approaches into MDW’s Runways
4R/13C/31C. If the winds were strong out of the south or southwest in the
old days, the primary procedure [for IFR arrivals] was the ILS Runway 31C at
MDW and a circle east to Runway 22L.” The approach always opened the
28 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
eyes of airliner passengers when 737s and 757s began making tight turns
less than 1,000 feet agl. One corporation I flew for prohibited us from using
this circling approach at night.
A few years ago, with the help of Southwest Airlines, the controller says,
“ATC began using RNAV approaches to Runway 22L and halted the ILS 31C
circle completely. Aircraft flying either the RNAV Z or RNAV/RNP Y Runway
22L cross SAILZ intersection at 3,000 feet and begin descending to 2,400 feet
about the time they reach the Lake Michigan shoreline inbound.”
“The problem,” this controller explains, “is local airspace was never updated
to protect for this new Runway 22L final approach. It should have been
changed but, for some unknown reason, is still being held up by people way
above our pay grade.” Opening a VFR chart on ForeFlight shows it’s perfectly
legal to fly VFR up and down the Chicago shoreline below 3,000 feet, an
altitude that’s prominently displayed. But now, the MDW Runway 22L
approaches can cross the shoreline as low as 2,400 feet potentially putting
them beneath some VFR traffic.
“During AirVenture week, until this year at least,” the controller continues,
“we were able to work with MDW Tower and Southwest Airlines to switch
back to ILS 31C circle 22L to keep IFR aircraft away from the shoreline when
winds required the use of 22L.” Everything changed in 2019 when both MDW
tower controllers and South-west pilots refused the Runway 31C circle 22L
option, both citing lack of proficiency in the maneuver.
The Friday morning just before the end of this year’s AirVenture, MDW was
using RNAV 22L. “Many aircraft were flying along the shoreline beneath the
Class B, between 1,700 feet and 2,900 feet, but not talking to ATC, which is
perfectly legal,” the controller says. “The Tracon controller-in-charge tried
to get MDW to switch to ILS 31C after several reports of traffic collision
avoidance system resolution-advisory events and plenty of other aircraft that
appeared just too close for controller’s comfort.” One Southwest Airlines
pilot experienced an RA that same day on approach to MDW but, luckily,
spotted the VFR airplane in time to avoid it. The Tracon’s approach request
was denied because the winds were southwest at 10 knots and higher. That
meant landing straight in to Runway 31C at MDW was not an option. “But
the ORD CIC still believed using the RNAV 22L approach was unsafe, so
MDW switched to the ILS Runway 13C,” the controller says. That created
another big problem in airspace that’s already incredibly complex.
The controller goes on: “O’Hare was landing Runways 27L, 27R and 28C and
departing Runways 28R and 22L. In order for MDW to use the ILS 13C, ORD
had to stop using its Runway 22L for departures because the MDW inbound
and the ORD outbound paths are too close together.” There is an RNAV/
RNP approach to Runway 13C that can alleviate the proximity problem, but
the only aircraft qualified to use it are Southwest Boeings. Virtually no other
aircraft using MDW are RNP capable and qualified.
So on an otherwise perfect VFR day, with O’Hare landing 114 airplanes an
hour, MDW’s Runway 22L approach issues forced ORD to slow to a tworunway operation (27R/28C) for landing and two departure Runways 27L/28R.
Chicago controllers think their previous solutions, focused on preventing
a midair collision, have been unsuccessful while the remaining solutions
severely impact traffic flow through both airports. So what’s the answer?
Rendering of new tower at Cecil Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 29
Concord-Padgett
Regional
AirportAnnual Report
30 // 2019 U.S. Contract
Tower Association
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Chicago controllers have been told the answer to this hazardous
situation is under review but now stuck some-where between
the FAA and the city of Chicago. One ORD controller told me,
“This airspace must be fixed before we end up welding two
airplanes together.” For the most part, area and transient pilots
remain completely unaware of this hazardous situation, unless
they attend a local pilot/controller meeting. Scheduling a tour
of your local tower or Tracon might uncover airspace issues like
this in your area, but it will certainly open any pilot’s eyes to
what’s really happening on the other end of the radio.
Davis Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Bolster
Rural Number Of Federal Air Traffic
Controllers
Ripon Advance News Service
Dec. 10, 2019
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) on Dec. 4 cosponsored bipartisan
legislation to offer financial incentives that would help federal
contract towers in rural areas recruit and hire well-qualified,
retired Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic
controllers.
“Many of our smaller airports across the country operate using
contract towers, but current restrictions under the law are
discouraging air traffic controllers from working in our rural
areas,” Rep. Davis said. “Ensuring contract towers are properly
staffed is critical to safety and the local economies these
airports serve.”
Rep. Davis is the lead original cosponsor of the Continuity for
Operators with Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract
Towers (CONTRACT) Act of 2019, H.R. 5297, with bill sponsor
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA), which would provide for a full
annuity supplement for certain air traffic controllers. Among the
four other co-sponsors is U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH).
“This bill will help our contract towers recruit and retain
controllers by allowing federal controllers to continue receiving
their Social Security annuity payment while working at contract
towers,” explained Rep. Davis.
Currently, there are 256 air traffic control facilities participating
in the FAA’s Federal Contract Tower Program. FAA air traffic
controllers are required by law to retire at age 56, which
consequently means they lose a portion of their Social Security
benefits if they continue to work, according to information
provided by Rep. Davis’ office.
If enacted, H.R. 5287 would eliminate this penalty for those
who choose to work as controllers at federal contract towers,
according to the information.
31
The bill has garnered the support of Carl Olson, executive
director of the Central Illinois Regional Airport; Tim Wright,
airport director at the Decatur (Ill.) Airport; the American
Association of Airport Executives; the U.S. Contract Tower
Association; and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Contract Act Introduced To Eliminate
Financial Caps For Air Traffic Controllers
Transportation Today
Dec. 6, 2019
Supported by airport and air traffic organizations, U.S. Reps.
Julie Brownley (D-CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) have introduced
the CONTRACT Act to eliminate financial handicaps that limit
federal contract towers’ ability to recruit and hire air traffic
controllers.
The CONTRACT Act — or Continuity for Operators with
Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract Towers Act — is
supported by the American Association of Airport Executives,
U.S. Contract Tower Association, and the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association. Though there are 256 air traffic
control facilities currently participating in the Federal Aviation
Administration’s Federal Contract Tower Program, proponents of
the bill note that such towers are focused on hiring retired but
qualified FAA controllers.
“Keeping all of our air traffic control towers open and fully
staffed is critical for safety and helps our airports serve
businesses and aviation enthusiasts in our region,” Brownley
said. “This bill will ensure that FAA air traffic controllers, who
choose to continue to work after the mandatory FAA retirement
age of 56, can help us meet staffing needs at contract towers
without losing their hard-earned retirement benefits.”
Technically, said employees could continue to work — but to do
so would cost them a portion of their Social Security benefits.
CONTRACT proposes to eliminate that penalty for those who
choose to continue working as controllers at federal contract
towers. Similar exemptions, the lawmakers noted, have been
provided to retired federal controllers who went on to become
instructors for other air traffic controllers.
“Many of our smaller airports across the country operate using
contract towers, but current restrictions under the law are
discouraging air traffic controllers from working in our rural
areas,” Davis said. “This bill will help our contract towers recruit
and retain controllers by allowing federal controllers to continue
receiving their Social Security annuity payment while working at
contract towers. Ensuring contract towers are properly staffed is
critical to safety and the local economies these airports serve.”
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 31
32
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
The Hutchinson News
American taxpayer. Today, there are 256 air traffic control facilities participating
in the FAA’s Federal Contract Tower Program, including Garden City, Hutchinson,
Manhattan, Salina and two locations in Olathe and Topeka.
TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran joined colleagues by sponsoring introduction of
legislation aimed at removing a financial disincentive that retired Federal Aviation
Administration air traffic controllers face when accepting jobs within a network of
256 municipal or regional towers, including eight in Kansas.
The bipartisan proposal backed by U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and Patty
Murray, D-Wash., would address staffing challenges at towers in the nation’s
Federal Contract Tower Program, which is administered by the FAA. In Kansas, the
bill would apply to hiring at aviation facilities in Salina, Garden City, Hutchinson,
Manhattan and two each in Topeka and Johnson County.
Federal contract towers face a unique hurdle to hiring trained and well-qualified
retired FAA controllers. Because FAA air traffic controllers are one of several
federal employee groups whose retirement is mandated at 56 years of age,
retired FAA controllers are penalized for continuing to work as controllers at
federal contract towers. This legislation would eliminate that penalty and allow
experienced retired FAA employees the opportunity to use their skills at a federal
contract tower without facing a financial penalty. The CONTRACT Act has received
strong support from stakeholders, including the U.S. Contract Tower Association
(USCTA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the National
Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
By Tim Carpenter
Nov. 27, 2019
“I’m proud to support our aviation industry by introducing legislation to remove
an unnecessary barrier in the hiring pipeline for contract towers,” said Moran,
a Kansas Republican. “This sensible legislation would support contract towers
across the nation.”
Under federal law, FAA air traffic controllers must retire at 56 years of age. The
retired FAA personnel would be penalized for working as controllers at the federal
contract towers. The restriction preventing companies operating the regional or
municipal facilities from making use of controllers with the same qualifications and
training as regular FAA controllers. The Senate legislation would eliminate this
financial penalty confronting controllers forced to retire from the FAA.
Inhofe said the proposal would bolster operations at six contract towers in
Oklahoma by countering provisions of the FAA controllers’ federal retirement
program creating a financial burden to retirees joining the contract-tower network.
“It’s so important to make sure our towers are staffed with the most qualified
individuals to help keep our skies safe,” Murray said.
Due to the early retirement mandate, FAA controllers belong to a “special group”
under the Federal Employees’ Retirement System. Each contributes 0.5% of their
annual salary to a separate retirement annuity account. In return, they receive a
FERS annuity payment during the mandatory retirement period between age 56 and
the Social Security minimum retirement age of 62.
The retired controller’s annuity payment would be incrementally reduced by earning
more than the Social penalty compels many retired FAA controllers making the
decision not work as federal contract tower air traffic controllers.
The U.S. Contract Tower Association, the American Association of Airport Executives
and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association have endorsed the bill.
Newsletter From Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
Nov. 25, 2019
On Wednesday, I introduced the Continuity for Operators with Necessary Training
Required for ATC Contract Towers (CONTRACT) Act of 2019. Contract towers are
an important part of our national air traffic control system — serving communities
through a proven public-private partnership that increases safety and improves air
traffic control services while lowering the cost to the federal government and the
32 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Legislation Relieves Financial Burden On
Retired Air Traffic Controllers
Transportation Today
By Melina Druga
Nov. 25, 2019
Recently introduced bipartisan legislation aims to remove the financial disincentive
for retired Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers to work at
federal contract towers. FAA controllers are required to retire by age 56 under
current law. While working, they contribute an additional 0.5 percent of their
annual salary into a special retirement annuity account. They are classified under
the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) as a “special group.”
Between the ages of 56 and 62, the minimum age to be eligible for social security,
retired controllers receive a FERS annuity payment. This payment is incrementally
reduced if they earn more than the social security earnings limit annually. For tax
year 2019, this limit was $17,640.
Many retired FAA controllers make the decision not work as federal contract tower
air traffic controllers.
The Continuity for Operators with Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract
Towers (CONTRACT) Act of 2019 would eliminate this penalty and make it easier
for retired controllers to work at a federal contract tower.
Nationally, 256 air traffic control facilities are participating in the FAA’s Federal
Contract Tower Program.
The bill was introduced by Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KA) and Patty
Murray (D-Wash.).
The legislation would eliminate for Federal Aviation Administration controllers a
financial penalty faced for working past the mandatory retirement age of 56 when
they continue their careers at federal contract towers.
Those towers — which include eight in Kansas — are part of program through
which they are allowed to be staffed by private employees. There are more than
250 contract towers nationwide, at which the FAA pays for air traffic control
services on a contract basis.
Spokane Felts Field Airport, Washington
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 33
34
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Moran says in a press release that the penalty faced by former FAA controllers,
which reduces a specialty annuity payment depending on how much they earn
above social security limits, pinches the pipeline of ATC talent that could help
alleviate staffing issues at such airports.
“This sensible legislation would support contract towers across the nation,
including the eight located in Kansas, by removing a financial disincentive which is
preventing highly-skilled, experienced controllers from working at federal contract
towers upon their retirement at the FAA,” Moran says.
The towers in Kansas that could be impacted by the program include airports in
Hutchinson, Garden City, Salina, Manhattan and two locations in Olathe and Topeka.
The U.S. Contract Tower Association, the American Association of Airport
Executives and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association are all supporting
the legislation.
“We should do everything we can to make it easier for controllers who retire
from the federal government to continue working at contract towers airports,”
the groups said in a combined letter to the senators. “Allowing retired federal
controllers to keep their federal annuity while serving at contract tower airports
would remove an unnecessary roadblock at a time when we are facing increasing
staffing challenges in the Federal Contract Tower Program.”
Senator Moran Co-Sponsors Aviation Bill
KNSS NEWS
Nov. 21, 2019
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) is co-sponsoring a bill that he says would help
Kansas airports. Currently, FAA air traffic controllers are mandated to retire at age 56.
If they work beyond that at federal contract towers, they are financially penalized.
“I’m proud to support our aviation industry by introducing legislation to remove an
unnecessary barrier in the hiring pipeline for contract towers,” said Sen. Moran.
“This sensible legislation would support contract towers across the nation,
including the eight located in Kansas, by removing a financial disincentive which is
preventing highly-skilled, experienced controllers from working at federal contract
towers upon their retirement at the FAA.”
There are eight Kansas facilities that participate in the contract program tower,
including Garden City, Hutchinson, Manhattan, Salina and two locations each in
Olathe and Topeka.
Salina
Regional
Airport
34 // 2019
U.S. Contract
Tower Association Annual Report
Moran Says New Atc Legislation Could Help
Kansas Airports
Wichita Business Journal
By Daniel McCoy
Nov. 20, 2019
In a move he says will help free up federal employees to utilize their skills at small
airports around the country, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) on Wednesday announced
the introduction of new legislation focused on air traffic controllers.
The newly introduced Continuity for Operators with Necessary Training Required
for ATC Contract Towers (CONTRACT) Act of 2019 is being co-sponsored by Moran
and Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
The legislation would eliminate for Federal Aviation Administration controllers a
financial penalty faced for working past the mandatory retirement age of 56 when
they continue their careers at federal contract towers.
Those towers — which include eight in Kansas — are part of program through
which they are allowed to be staffed by private employees. There are more than
250 contract towers nationwide, at which the FAA pays for air traffic control
services on a contract basis.
Moran says in a press release that the penalty faced by former FAA controllers,
which reduces a specialty annuity payment depending on how much they earn
above social security limits, pinches the pipeline of ATC talent that could help
alleviate staffing issues at such airports.
“This sensible legislation would support contract towers across the nation,
including the eight located in Kansas, by removing a financial disincentive which is
preventing highly-skilled, experienced controllers from working at federal contract
towers upon their retirement at the FAA,” Moran says.
The towers in Kansas that could be impacted by the program include airports in
Hutchinson, Garden City, Salina, Manhattan and two locations in Olathe and Topeka.
The U.S. Contract Tower Association, the American Association of Airport
Executives and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association are all supporting
the legislation.
“We should do everything we can to make it easier for controllers who retire
from the federal government to continue working at contract towers airports,”
the groups said in a combined letter to the senators. “Allowing retired federal
controllers to keep their federal annuity while serving at contract tower airports
would remove an unnecessary roadblock at a time when we are facing increasing
staffing challenges in the Federal Contract Tower Program.”
The fixed virtual remote towers which are part of the Pentagon contract will be
attached to existing air traffic controller towers, Frequentis says.
Frequentis Touts Deployable ATC Towers
After DoD Contract
As part of the DoD contract, two systems will be delivered to the US Air Force: one
fixed and one deployed. Both will be installed at Homestead Air Reserve Base in
Florida.
Flight Global
Nov. 17, 2019
Frequentis is touting a contract it won from the Department of Defense (DoD)
in October for four remote virtual air traffic controller towers, including two
deployable systems which could be used at expeditionary air bases.
Frequentis is touting a contract it won from the Department of Defense (DoD)
in October for four remote virtual air traffic controller towers, including two
deployable systems which could be used at expeditionary air bases.
The company’s deployable towers allow controllers to direct air traffic from an
austere airstrip using a series of visual high-definition, infrared and pan-tilt-zoom
cameras mounted atop an extendable 15m (50ft) scissor lift. The system, including
a virtual window made of five flat-panel screens, can be transported inside two
shipping containers, which can be rolled out of the back of a Lockheed Martin
C-130 transport.
Frequentis also makes a series of fixed civilian remote virtual towers which are
used to help spread out, small air-ports share air traffic controllers.
The US Navy will receive one fixed system at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station in
Texas.
The US Marine Corps will likely receive their deployable system at Camp Lejeune
in North Carolina.
Deployable remote virtual towers could help US military services rapidly set up
expeditionary air bases during conflict. The Pentagon’s agile basing strategy calls
for spreading out and moving around US and allied forces across many air bases in
order to make it more difficult for precision missiles from Russia or China to wipe
out air-craft on the ground.
Deployable remote virtual towers could also help keep military air traffic controllers
out of harm’s way, as the air traffic controller working station can be positioned
away from target aircraft using a long connecting cable, says Sascha Wirfs,
Frequentis global sales manager.
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and key staff from Sen. James Risch’s office visited Friedman Memorial Airport on Aug. 13.
On Aug. 28, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) visited the facility. Airport Manager Chris Pomeroy said the airport staff discussed the importance of contact towers and the airport’s
continued interest in the remote tower technology with the lawmakers.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 35
36
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
U.S. Senate Oks Bills with Money For Oklahoma
The Oklahoman
By Chris Casteel
Nov. 2, 2019
Oklahoma’s senators hailed passage of four spending bills Thursday that
include money for Oklahoma projects.
The bills were part of a package that will fund several federal
departments, including Agriculture, Transportation and Justice.
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, said, “This legislation includes many of
my provisions that benefit Oklahomans, including funding to maintain
and operate rural flood prevention infrastructure, support our law
enforcement community, advance aviation workforce development and
invest in competitive grant programs that will benefit our state and local
communities for years to come.”
Inhofe and U.S. Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, voted for the
package, which was approved 84-9 by the Senate. Lankford serves on the
committee that crafted the package.
“While I am pleased that we have moved these first four bills, a lot of
work remains as we get closer to yet another funding deadline on Nov.
21,” Lankford said.
“We should not have another government shutdown that hurts federal
families and wastes tax dollars.”
Among the provisions noted by Inhofe and Lankford in the bills
were:
• $ 20 million for the National Mesonet Program, located at the
University of Oklahoma.
ATC Contractors, Controllers Honored By ATCA
Several air traffic control contractors and controllers received awards from
the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Oct. 22 during the organization’s
annual conference.
Winners and their award citations are:
Andy Pitas Aircraft Save Award Mary Wertel, Beverly
Regional Airport, Midwest ATC Services
On Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, controller Mary Wertel was working local control
with several inbound and outbound aircraft when 17-year old student pilot
Maggie Taraska departed for her first cross-country solo flight in Piper
Warrior N2496X.
Upon takeoff, an aircraft awaiting departure advised, “Tower, the right
main gear strut and wheel just fell off the airplane.” Mary calmly informed
Maggie of the malfunction and asked her intentions. Maggie anxiously
asked, “Can I circle back to land?”
With her experience and quick thinking, Mary instructed Maggie to circle
around the airport until her flight instructor could be available to assist and
immediately sprang into action to secure the assistance of Maggie’s flight
instructor. This single unconventional action was the lynch-pin to the safe
recovery of this young student pilot. The pilot was frightened, but Mary
never wavered from her calm and confident tone, reminding the young pilot
to remember the basics she was taught.
Mary’s use of proper phraseology and standard procedures were exactly
what this inexperienced pilot needed. Mary provided exceptional
support while simultaneously advising several aircraft in the Class Delta,
facilitating their de-confliction with the impending volatile aviation event.
Without Mary’s calm, professional actions, catastrophic damage or loss of
aircraft and life were almost certain.
• $ 3.2 billion for the Agricultural Research Service and National
Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds that will maintain facilities
in Woodward, El Reno and Stillwater.
Cheers of joy rang out on the frequency when Maggie landed the
damaged aircraft without injury.
• $ 5 million for aviation workforce development, as authorized by
Inhofe’s provision in the Federal Aviation Administration bill.
My favorite aspect of being in the aviation community is that despite the
highly structured and regulated nature of our job, you never know what
the day will bring.”
• F ull funding for the Air Traffic Control Contract Tower Program,
which includes six air traffic control towers located in Oklahoma.
•G
rant money to train law enforcement officers who respond to
situations involving people undergoing a mental health crisis.
“By improving mental-health crisis response training in the law
enforcement community, we can better help officers, individuals in
crisis and our entire community,” Inhofe said.
U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Oklahoma City, authored an amendment
that passed the House this year allocating $2.5 million to that law
enforcement training.
• Increased funding to fight human trafficking in Indian Country.
• F unding for criminal investigation services on unsolved missing
and murdered indigenous women and an oversight report on
streamlining data collection.
36 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Kenneth Stanley, Ormond Beach ATCT, Robinson Aviation (RVA)
When RVA controllers opened the control tower at Ormond Beach (OMN)
on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, there were two aircraft already in the traffic
pattern conducting flight training. One aircraft landed so the student
onboard could perform their first solo. The student had difficulty making
their way to the runway without assistance and local controller Kenneth
Stanley knew he’d have to be watchful.
The student attempted two landings, both resulting in go-arounds as the
aircraft touched down on the nose wheel, “porpoising” several times
on the runway. Kenneth asked the instructor in second aircraft in the
traffic pattern if they would be willing to assist. The instructor agreed
and positioned their aircraft in the Runway 8 run-up block to observe the
aircraft in the pattern and on final. Kenneth reassured the student and
established them on downwind and then base leg.
Glendale Municipal Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 37
38
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
The instructor from the aircraft on the ground used the tower frequency to advise the student of proper power settings,
altitude, and alignment. This attempt resulted in yet another go-around. While in the pattern, the pilot lost sight of the
airport. Kenneth advised the student of their position and through issuing turns was able to establish them back on the
final. The instructor was then able to advise the student, finally leading to a successful landing. Based on the student
pilot’s transmissions and voice tone, it was obvious they were relieved and grateful for Kenneth’s positive, encouraging
assistance throughout the event.
ATCA Outstanding Civilian ATC Manager of the Year Award, Cedric McQueen, North Perry (HWO) FAA
Contract Tower (FCT), Robinson Aviation (RVA)
Cedric McQueen is the manager of HWO FCT. HWO recently became the busiest FCT in the nation, with more than
270,000 annual airport operations. Earlier this year, pilots operating at HWO experienced a few safety-related wrongsurface events. Aircraft departing Runway 10R must taxi onto the overrun area for Runway 1L before they can depart.
Student pilots often get confused and try to depart Runway 1L.
Cedric assisted the FAA Quality Control Group, the RVA Area Manager, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), and
HWO Airport Manager in initiating actions to prevent aircraft from trying to depart the wrong runway. He visited
flight schools and discussed this issue with their chief flight instructors. In addition, he required a phrase be added
to the ATIS broadcast that alerts pilots departing runway 10R to use caution not to confuse with Runway 1L. Cedric
often assists the HWO Airport Manager at meetings to address local residents’ concerns of traffic patterns and noise
abatement and has attended all meetings dedicated to the new 20-year HWO Master Plan. Cedric is dedicated to
maintaining a safe, efficient operation and ensuring RVA controllers do each job right the first time, every time.
Cobb Country International Airport, Georgia
His many years of military and controller experience have prepared him to be an effective leader and team player,
who recognizes the benefits of working collaboratively to find solutions. “My greatest challenge and success
is being the manager of HWO. Leading one of the busiest GA airports in the nation is a tasking yet rewarding
accomplishment.”
ATCA Award for Exceptional Service CI² Aviation
CI2 Aviation, Inc.’s FAA Contract Towers (FCT) at Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Rafael Hernandez
Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, added to the quality,
safety, and efficiency of ATC services during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
With the devastation from Hurricane Maria, many of the facilities’ employees experienced substantial personal
property loss. The facilities quickly accounted for their personnel and began coordinating lodging for those in need.
As planned, the staff at each facility implemented contingency work schedules that required many modifications to
support relief efforts and a constant flow of arrivals and departures. Traffic at each airport increased by 50 percent,
requiring extended hours and increased staffing to support military and FEMA relief operations.
Brownsville South Padre Island
International Airport
These facilities were without reliable power to operate the buildings and related equipment, including
telecommunications and water, and the backup power systems initially did not respond as tested and needed.
The air traffic managers shared with the team (using intermittent cell and satellite phones) all coordination efforts
to obtain family essentials and repair facility equipment. These efforts required implementation of established
contingency procedures and on-the-spot planning and coordination. Each facility immediately responded to FEMA
and military requests to extend operating hours to 24 hours a day in some cases. Under adverse conditions they
prevailed with outstanding results through community and family support. Their dedication and professionalism went
the extra mile for safety, customer service, and proven perseverance.
The President’s Citation of Merit Award Midwest ATC, Team Bagram
The Bagram, Afghanistan, Airfield Operations Flight (Tower, Radar Approach Control and Airfield Management (AM))
staff serves the United States and NATO coalition forces under Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and Operation Resolute
Support in a 24/7/365 combat environment.
The Midwest team continues to endure approximately four to six rocket attacks each month. The team excels in
their pursuit of excellence in safety and efficiency in their control of a wide variety of aircraft to include military fixed
wing and rotary wing, commercial air carrier and cargo, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), all the while managing
multiple airfield construction projects without interrupting the mission.
38 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Stennis International Airport
Cecil Airport Expects 2021 Completion of Air Traffic Tower and
Spaceport Center
JAX Daily Record.com
Oct. 17, 2019
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority said Wednesday it expects to complete a new air
traffic control tower and spaceport operations center at Cecil Airport in early 2021. Cecil
is an FAA Contract Tower airport.
JAA CEO Mark VanLoh said the construction coincides with the 20th anniversary this
year of the transition from NAS Cecil Field to Cecil Airport.
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport
“We look forward to providing an outstanding new facility to serve the industry leaders
who operate at Cecil and advance our region’s reputation for world-class aviation and
aerospace opportunities,” VanLoh said in a news release.
At a cost of $8.9 million, the tower will be funded by JAA and matching Florida
Department of Transportation and Space Florida funding.
The contractor is Walbridge Southeast LLC.
JAA said the current tower’s view of the airport is partially obstructed by newer hangars,
but in the new tower, air traffic controllers will have unimpeded views of 6,000 acres,
including the new Fire Station 63.
The current tower will be removed when the new tower is operational.
The spaceport operation center and mission control will house telemetry and weather
monitoring equipment to sup-port Cecil Spaceport, the release said.
Cecil Spaceport is the first FAA-licensed horizontal launch commercial spaceport on the
East Coast and the eighth to be licensed in the United States, according to JAA.
The authority plans a commissioning ceremony near the time of the project completion.
Funding Still Main Topic for
Planned Airport Control Tower
Mullet Wrapper
October 9, 2019
Everything is still on track with plans to build a $4.6 million control tower at Jack
Edwards Airport and, again, funding is the main topic.
“There’re two sources,” Airport Authority Manager Scott Fuller said.
“The airport improvement program which will give us 90 percent of the funding and
reimburse use for 90 percent of what we’ve already spent as far as engineering. The
timing on that is probably not good. If it were approved coming up in October-November
it’s a possibility we can get it for next year. If not, Congress made through this FAA bill
another fund called the Small Airport Fund available for control towers and that’s close
to 100 percent.”
The current plan is to get the preliminaries done before Jan. 1, be ready to build next
spring and open in 2021.
Pocatello Regional Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 39
40
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
“The schedule right now as far as to complete the design with all the FAA
comments and everything else by December of this year,” Fuller said. “Be ready
for bid and bid advertise in March and complete construction next December and
open up in January 2021. The funding has not been approved yet and that’s the
big question mark.”
Fuller says the FAA should finalize its contract with the company that will operate
the control tower by October. And, Gulf Shores is still on the fast track to get the
next tower via a new approval process by the FAA.
“We’re the guinea pig,” Fuller said. “We’re on a conference call with all the FAA
offices that have a say in this project from funding to airspace to flight procedures
to obstruction evaluation – everybody that’s involved in it. They’re talking about
how it’s working out and basically all I kept hearing throughout the entire
conservation was at Jack Edwards we did this, at Jack Edwards we did that.
That’s all they’re talking about.”
In addition to the new tower, the Gulf Shores Airport Authority is making plans for
a passenger terminal, allowing the airport to include scheduled service.
“I’ve been talking to the airlines for a couple of years. But the next step is to let
them know when the terminal will be ready and try to get a letter of intent from
them in order for us to get grant funds to help build this thing,” Fuller said.
“Initiating the design of a new control tower and commercial airline terminal
is an exciting step forward,” Mayor Robert Craft said. “The continued growth
of our airport is a critical factor in providing enhanced economic development
opportunities for our entire community.”
Gulf Shores has spent about $1.2 million to improve roads at the airport and
inside the Business and Aviation Park. City officials have their fingers crossed
for a grant application that, if approved, would fund $15 million of the total $23
million estimated for the project.
Easton Airport Day Showcases New Aviation Career
Education Program
Easton Star Democrat
Sept. 5, 2019
Although the Aviation Career Education program is barely off the ground, the sky’s
the limit for local youth who want to explore the possibilities.
“Nobody else is doing this in the state,” said ACE organizer and Easton Airport
Manager Micah Risher. Creating an education program was a top priority for him
when he became the airport manager last year. Easton is an FAA Contract Tower
airport.
In just nine short months, kids have responded enthusiastically. During a 4-day
summer drone camp, for instance, 32 kids participated. Risher hopes future
classes will be just as successful.
Risher, who grew up in Trappe, graduated from Easton High School in 1993 and
now lives in Easton. He wants to get “the community out to the airport,” and he
wants to get kids excited about aviation.
“We have seen a steady decline in the industry,” Risher said. “One of my
missions in October 2018 was to increase the educational outreach of the
airport.”
The ACE program will be highlighted at Easton Airport Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The purpose of the ACE program is to provide students the opportunity to explore
careers in the aerospace industry by introducing them to a variety of aviationrelated career paths and providing resources and support to help them pursue a
career in the aerospace industry.
ACE “loosely partners with the Federal Aviation Administration which provides
support,” said Risher, who worked at FAA headquarters for four years. Funding
for the Easton Airport ACE program is also supplied through a nonprofit managed
by the Mid-Shore Community Foundation.
The program will promote interest in aviation careers by teaching safe operating
principles, using leading edge technology and committing to the future of aviation
in Talbot County. Specific careers emphasized in the program are air traffic
control, piloting, drones and aviation mechanics, Risher said.
Easton Airport air traffic controller Eloy Reyes of Easton said he has found his
10-year career “extremely rewarding.
“From my own personal perspective, not knowing anything about aviation — I
thought air traffic controlling was for geniuses,” Reyes said. He discovered his
career in the Air Force, and for those 10 years, he discovered that becoming an
air traffic controller simply required good training and building a set of marketable
skills.
Students in Easton’s Aviation Career Education program
40 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
“I love the ACE program and where (Risher) is going with it,” Reyes said. “I
volunteered for it because it’s important for kids to know about the opportunities
(in aviation).”
Risher also gained his skills in the armed forces, learning to become an air traffic
controller in the Navy. “It was a great career path,” Risher said. “I grew up in
Talbot County, but I didn’t know anything about aviation” even with an countyowned airport nearby.
Jersey Airport to Manage Air Traffic Using Digital
Remote Tower Technology
Frequentis USA Inc.
May 20, 2019
Wanting to give back, Risher’s 25-year success as an air traffic controller led him
to mentor a local high school junior who interned at the airport in July. He has
“loved everything” about his experiences since joining ACE in February, local
experts volunteered to teach the courses after school at the airport, Risher said.
Jersey Airport achieved approval for operational use of a digital Remote Tower.
This marks the first time this type of system has been used to actively control
commercial aircraft movements at a British airport.
Risher has big plans for the program. Already, the management offices have
moved to the 3,200-foot former Med- Star hangar where there is “huge expanse
of amazing space,” including training space, he said. Joining a library will be a
flight simulator project Risher hopes to “get up and running in the winter.” He
even has plans to build an air traffic control simulator. The next class is planned
for October.
Jersey Airport currently handles around 23,000 commercial Air Transport
Movements annually and is the fifth busiest British airport for corporate and
general aviation traffic, with over 45,000 movements overall. Ports of Jersey’s
digital remote centre deploys technology from Frequentis AG and was achieved
with project management support from Systems Interface Ltd.
The airport has achieved traffic levels of 32 movements per hour using the
Remote Tower during operational trials in November 2018.
“We’re still exploring what the program could be,” Risher said. “It’s baby steps,
but it’s really exciting.”
Airport Day visitors can stop by the ACE program tent to learn about the
upcoming STEM Festival and Aviation Expo in October, and enter a raffle to
raise funds to support the program. Admission and parking are free. Donations
are appreciated. Please arrive early to allow time for parking. Please visit
eastonairportday.com or visit Easton Airport on Facebook.
Approval for the Channel Islands based airport followed a comprehensive testing
period throughout 2018, which included training for all air traffic controllers.
This is the first-time remote tower approval has directly involved the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Air Navigation Service Provider
(ANSP) Competent Authority for Jersey.
As well as undergoing specific training in the simulator, all air traffic controllers
completed ‘active’ and ‘shadow mode’ operations, including ATC operations from
the contingency room, with controllers in the conventional tower as a backup.
Significantly, this is also the first remote digital tower implementation to be
overseen and reviewed directly by EASA as this process is usually only carried
out by National Authorities.
Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 41
42
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
“We have worked collaboratively with both Frequentis and Systems Interface to ensure
the successful delivery of Jersey Airport’s remote tower project. In addition, this involved
working closely alongside EASA to ensure the provision of all regulatory and training
requirements, including approved conversion training, featuring Human Factors Analysis,
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and 3D simulator training. This was all achieved prior to
shad-owing and live training, and as a result we’re extremely pleased with the contingency
remote digital tower and have achieved a movement rate of 32 aircraft per hour during
operational trials”, said Les Smallwood, Ports of Jersey, senior air traffic control officer.
The solution uses a network of 13 cameras to create a 240-degree field-of-view of Jersey
Airport, which is then displayed at the remote tower working position in the nearby
contingency facility. The implementation of the remote tower technology was carried out
by Ports of Jersey and Systems Interface Limited (SIL), in its role as the company’s project
specialist partner. While SIL managed all systems integration and installation, providing
end-to-end project management, Frequentis AG provided its state-of-the-art remote tower
technology.
“To have worked on this significant project on the British Isles is a great milestone, setting
the pace for future UK projects. Remote tower technology is helping ANSPs and airport
operators to enhance operations. Together with SIL we have ensured that Ports of Jersey
meets its goal for streamlined air traffic services”, commented Hannu Juurakko, vice
president ATM at Frequentis.
The business case for remote tower technology is compelling, potentially avoiding the need
or expense of a conventional control tower, and offering enhanced visibility and safety
features, as well as cost savings. Through the use of high definition cameras, augmented
reality and safety nets, ANSPs can optimize processes, increase security standards and
make more efficient use of resources.
Runway Girl Network
May 6
The FAA has published its 20-year Aerospace Forecast for fiscal years 2019-2039, predicting
steady growth in commercial aviation, despite economic softening in certain global markets.
For air traffic control infrastructure in the US, this growth will pose a challenge especially in
cities that are already congested.
“Activity at FAA and Contract towers is forecast to increase at an average rate of 0.9% a
year through 2039 from 51.8 million in 2018 to close to 62 million in 2039,” the FAA states.
The highest demand at these ATC facilities is expected from commercial operations,
including airlines and commuter/air taxi services, which are forecast to increase at a rate
five times faster than non-commercial operations.
The FAA believes that commercial operations will increase at a slower rate than US
passenger numbers (1.5% annual rise in flight traffic versus 2.0% annual rise in passenger
traffic). To avoid adding flights, the agency expects airlines will increase seat capacity per
airplane by increasing cabin density and operating larger aircraft.
It also predicts airlines will keep high passenger load factors, peaking at around 86.6%.
Kinston
Regional
Jetport
Stallings
42 // 2019
U.S. Contract
Tower
AssociationField
Annual Report
Demand at towered airports will vary, with a concentration of flying through
the country’s 30 large hubs and 31 medium hub airports; these primarily serve
commercial flights and account for the most passengers (88% in 2018).
“Given the growth in airline demand and most of that demand is at large
and medium hubs, activity at the large and medium hubs is forecast to grow
substantially faster than small towered airports including small FAA towers and
FAA contract towers,” the FAA states.
“The forecasted annual growth is 1.6% at large hubs, 1.3% at medium hubs,
0.5% at small FAA towers and FAA contract towers between 2019 and 2039.”
Weather disruptions and seasonal disruptions will continue to trouble a larger
number of passengers as high demand routes remain unchanged.
“Among the 30 large hubs, the airports with the fastest annual growth forecast
are those located along the coastal sections of the country where most large
cities are located,” the FAA states. “Large cities have historically shown to
generate robust economic activity, which in turn drives up the airline demand.
On the other hand, the airports forecast to have slower annual growth tend to be
located in the middle of the country.”
Additionally, it states, “FAA Tracon [Terminal Radar Approach Control]
Operations are forecast to grow slightly faster than at towered facilities. This is
in part a reflection of the different mix of activity at Tracons. Tracon operations
are forecast to increase an average of 1.1% a year between 2018 and 2039.
Commercial operations accounted for approximately 59 percent of Tracon
operations in 2018 and are projected to grow 1.5 percent a year over the forecast
period.”
The FAA also expects En-Route Centers will handle a greater number of
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft, increasing from an estimated 26,692
aircraft handled in 2018 to 41,097 in 2039.
Commercial space flights will also put a strain on US ATC infrastructure over the
next 20 years.
The FAA takes what it describes as a “conservative” approach to commercial
space activity forecasts, rather than rely on what the agency calls “an inherent
bias by industry to be optimistic about their business prospects.” Even with a
cautious forecast, the FAA expects significantly higher launch activities ahead,
and is planning for those.
“This includes an increased presence at the Air Traffic Control System Command
Center and other locations to assist in the strategic and tactical planning of
launch and reentry operations, as well as to provide support during these
operations,” the FAA states.
“Further, FAA will continue the development of technologies to facilitate safe
and efficient integration of commercial launch and reentry operations into
the NAS [National Airspace System], including technologies to improve the
integration of launch and reentry data into FAA air traffic control systems and
technologies to improve the timely and accurate development and distribution of
notices of notices of aircraft hazard areas.”
National Defense
April 18, 2019
An Austria-based company’s remote virtual air traffic control tower product is
beginning to attract customers in both the civilian and military aviation sectors.
Vienna-based Frequentis has sold its smartVISION tower system to civilian
customers in Argentina, Germany and New Zealand. The U.S. Air Force acquired
two fixed systems and two deployable systems in October, Mark Robinson, head
of air traffic management at the company said on the sidelines of Avalon — the
Australian Airshow.
There are a couple business cases for the technology, which allows air traffic
controllers to monitor airports from remote locations, he said. One is the sheer
expense of building, updating or refurbishing air traffic control towers. They can
cost $10 million to upwards of $40 million to replace.
“It’s quite an expensive business,” he said. Frequentis’ system of cameras,
automatic dependent surveillance feeds — which provides aircraft identity
information — and high-fidelity monitors can cost around $2 million to $3 million
depending on the scale of the airport.
“We put cameras in certain locations, monitor airspace and we send that picture
somewhere else. ‘Somewhere else’ can be downstairs in the same building, or it
can be 1,000 miles away,” he said.
The other business case is for airports with little traffic. Scandinavian countries,
for example, have numerous remote airports in small cities that only see a few
flights per day. Yet the communities want air traffic controllers. Ten such airports
could be monitored from a central location, which comes with a great deal of
savings on manpower, he said.
As for military applications, there is a safety factor. In war-torn areas, air traffic
towers are big, fat targets. During the Iraq war, they were shot at and shelled,
Robinson said.
“You can take some deployable cameras in the back of a Humvee, put the
cameras up and sit miles away in a shelter,” he said. For austere runways with
little infrastructure, a basic system could be set up within hours, he added.
The dual-use system has gotten the attention of the military. Frequentis received
its first military contract for smartVISION in October. The Defense Department
acquired the four systems and sent one of the fixed systems to be used at a
“Florida Air Force base” and the second at a site to be determined, according to
a press release. They were acquired for evaluation purposes, the statement said.
The systems “will reduce the risk to controllers and infrastructure, while
reducing capital investments and allowing for the optimization of our resources,”
Ed Wright, executive director of the Air Force’s flight standards agency, said in
the statement.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 43
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TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Reason Foundation
Remote Towers Reaching New Levels
April 17, 2019
The cover story of the current issue of Air Traffic Management is “The Digital
Tower.” Inside the issue is a 20-page feature that provides both a global overview
and profiles of specific programs and accomplishments.
Since my last report on remote towers, in the January issue, a number of air
navigation service providers have announced their country’s first digital/remote/
virtual (the terms are synonymous) tower projects. These include:
•A
ustralia, with a trial operation for the Royal Australian Air Force, developed
and managed by Indra Australia and Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace;
• B razil, where Frequentis is implementing the country’s first digital tower at
Santa Cruz Air Force Base in Rio de Janeiro;
• C anada, where Nav Canada and Searidge are considering remote towers to
replace aging conventional towers, such as at Red Deer, Alberta;
• Iceland, where ANSP Isavia and Frequentis are researching an extremeweather remote tower; and,
•N
ew Zealand, where Frequentis is installing a virtual tower with Airways
NZ, at Invercargill Airport at the south-ern end of South Island.
44 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
The growing experience with actual remote/virtual towers is rebutting a number
of misconceptions about the potential of this new approach to managing local
airspace. For example, only a year or two ago there were doubts that aviation safety
regulators would approve the control of multiple airports from a single remote tower
center (RTC). The most ambitious such project to date is Norwegian ANSP Avinor’s
in-operation RTC in Bodo. Now under way is the roll-out of control from Bodo to 15
small airports between now and the end of 2021, with a possible future expansion
to a total of 36.
Based on some very early tests, there were also concerns about the difficulty of
obtaining a very high data rate to permit nearly real-time control of an airport from the
RTC. But bandwidth keeps getting cheaper. Now certified and in operation, DFS’s RTC
in Leipzig is controlling traffic at Saarbrücken, 280 miles away. Two additional airports
will be added to that RTC’s responsibilities over the next two years.
The idea that a RTC could deliver better performance than a conventional tower
had skeptics several years ago, but they are mostly being convinced by the ability
of infrared cameras to see aircraft through fog and rain and to provide much better
“out-the-window” views at night than controllers’ eyes can provide. Moreover, their
cameras (visual and infrared) can monitor runways that cannot be seen from an
existing physical tower, which will likely permit Heathrow to avoid building a new
tower when its third runway is actually added. (Too bad this technology was not
available for two-tower DFW or three-tower O’Hare.)
Conventional wisdom a few years ago maintained that while a remote tower
may be fine for small, low-traffic airports, it could not handle a large hub. That
is not the view of Katrin Scheidgen of DFS Aviation Services. She told Air Traffic
Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport
Management’s David Hughes that, “Technically, it is less challenging to provide
control through remote technology at a large hub airport. Hubs usually have better
surveillance and a more homogeneous traffic mix of mostly IFR movements, which
a remote tower system can handle more easily.” London Heathrow already has a
contingency remote tower capability, and one is under development for Singapore
Changi. And for medium hub Budapest, HungaroControl’s remote tower is now
fully capable of handling all the airport’s traffic, but for the time being, the ANSP is
using it for training and as a contingency facility—though it may well replace the
physical tower in the future.
We are also starting to get a handle on cost savings. U.S. control tower developer
Bill Payne told David Hughes that just building the road to reach the site of a
physical tower can cost as much as the structure since it must handle heavy airport
fire and rescue trucks. The tower must also have an elevator and water, sewer,
and power lines—none of which is needed for an at-ground facility added to an
existing airport building. Dieter Eier of Frequentis USA estimates that airports
needing a new or replacement tower should be able to save 50 percent by using a
remote tower instead.
The sad part of this story is that America’s ANSP—the FAA Air Traffic
Organization—is still not engaged with re-mote towers. To be sure, there are two
pilot projects under way with the agency’s blessing and monitoring (in Leesburg,
VA, and Loveland, CO)—but no funding. Last year’s FAA reauthorization bill
nominally created an FAA remote towers program, but Congress has still not
appropriated any funding for it. The Defense Department, by contrast, has an RT
program under way, with fixed sites at Homestead Air Force Reserve Base and
Jacksonville Naval Air Station, both in Florida, plus two deployable RTs for use in
the field.
Corporatized ANSPs are leading the way in this paradigm shift, with a number of
them forming joint ventures with RT companies to market this new approach in
other countries. NATS and Nav Canada jointly own RT developer Searidge.
The ANSP of Sweden, LFV, has formed a joint venture with Saab to develop and
market RTs. Germany’s DFS and Frequentis have launched DFS Aerosense for the
same purpose, as has Norway’s Avinor launching Ninox with Kongsburg and Indra
Navia. But as a government department, the FAA’s ATO cannot invest in a business
venture of any sort.
8KPAX.com
March 28, 2019
The future of Amtrak’s long-distance routes and airport infrastructure could be
addressed in the Trump administration’s new transportation budget, though it may
not all be pleasing, agency secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday.
The release of federal transportation funding could also implicate airport projects
planned in Montana, including Missoula International Airport and its new
passenger terminal, which is now under construction.
New Braunfels Regional Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 45
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TOWERS IN THE NEWS
“Our question was, with the government shutdown, what’s the new schedule for the
release of those supplemental funds?” airport director Cris Jensen said this week. “We
have airports and projects in the state of Montana that are impacted by this. We need to
know when those funds are going to be released.”
With the Trump administration’s FY2020 transportation budget on the table, members
of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
questioned Chao on a number of issues, from the grounded Boeing 737 Max to the
future of Amtrak.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines expressed concerns over the latter, as Amtrak eyes
reducing or eliminating some long-distance routes.
“Connectivity is a big deal for a state like Montana – we’re off the beaten
path,” Daines said. “Recent news about Amtrak limiting or eliminating longdistance services are troubling.”
Chao said Amtrak is currently funded at roughly $1.5 billion annually, and
she described some of its services as unsustainable. A growing number of
passengers utilize the train for shorter segments, with few riding the crosscountry route like the Empire Builder through Montana.
“I know the president of Amtrak is very concerned about the viability
of long distance,” she said. “There’s a subsidy cost per head. Amtrak
is trying to reassess how best to address the needs of these rural
communities while maintaining mobility, but also think of some other
way to reduce the subsidy.”
Chao said that could take the form of bus service to cover shorter trips
while some long-distance routes go away. She didn’t specify which
routes could be considered for reductions or elimination.
By rearranging funding, she added, Amtrak may negotiate with state
governments “to see if the states can be phased into taking a larger
local share.”
“Amtrak’s plans to restructure the long-distance routes has not been
met with great enthusiasm by many of the senators from states
through which these trains run,” Chao said. “It’s also a fact the
average subsidy per head for long distance is of concern, and it’s
not sustainable.”
While Missoula International Airport had hoped to get answers
on the release of supplemental funds delayed by the recent
government shutdown, Daines focused his remaining time on
staffing at air traffic control towers in Bozeman and Missoula.
The Bozeman airport is the state’s busiest with roughly 1.5
million annual passengers, followed closely by Missoula and its
900,000 annual passengers.
“Bozeman had to pay for a full-time controller out of their own
budget, and Missoula is nearing the point where it will have
to do the same thing,” Daines said. “Our airports in Montana
have seen rapid growth in the last decade, with many of them
Punta
Gordra
46 // 2019
U.S. Airport
Contract Tower Association Annual Report
expanding service. Unfortunately, the contract tower program doesn’t provide the
flexibility needed to expand tower staffing.”
Chao said the program is regulated by the FAA.
“There is a volume factor that determines whether a new tower contract extends
its hours and therefore the FAA bears the cost,” she said. “If they don’t meet the
minimum, like 10 (operations) per hour, the FAA does not extend the hours.”
Daines’ press secretary later said the senator followed up on the timeline for the
supplemental funding, as requested by Missoula International Airport.
“The Department of Transportation responded and said the supplemental funding
is undergoing review and announcements can be expected mid to late April,” Julia
Doyle told the Missoula Current. “Daines will continue pushing for Montana’s
airports.”
Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE) also questioned Chao on the administration’s plans
for Amtrak and how it planned to tackle the growing backlog of infrastructure
needs in the nation’s transportation system, including its airports.
He said the Highway Trust Fund is insolvent and airports face more than $100
billion in infrastructure needs. One of the big challenges, he said, is the lack of
revenue to fund that infrastructure.
“Do you and the president support raising the gas tax, which hasn’t been raised
sine 1993, or lifting the cap of Passenger Facility Charges to help pay for airport
improvements?” he asked. “We’re dramatically underfunding infrastructure in his
country.”
Chao said all options will be considered.
“Nothing is off the table when we talk about the Highway Trust Fund,” she said.
Not only does this allow controllers to work from wherever makes the most sense
without requiring a brick-and-mortar tower, but it facilitates increased efficiency;
the same “tower” can monitor multiple far-away airports at the same time if their
workload allows for it.
“These tower systems could significantly increase the safety and efficiency of
airport operations in locations that either don’t have towers today or have towers
that need expensive renovations,” said Matt Gilligan, Raytheon vice president of
intelligence, information, and services.
Congress’ 2018 omnibus appropriations bill included $2.5 million in provisions for
the FAA to explore virtual tower technology. The U.S. is behind Frequentis’ native
Germany, where remote airport operations are already underway.
“Remote virtual towers are more than an emerging trend,” said Leonard Swiontek,
president of Maryland-based Frequentis USA. “They will help optimize facilities
and resources, which means safer, better and more affordable air traffic services
across the U.S.”
The agreement between Raytheon and Frequentis, which the two companies
announced Tuesday at World ATM Congress in Madrid, will see the companies
explore opportunities over the next 12-24 months as the technology is qualified
in America, according to Christopher Rogers, Raytheon’s program manager for
STARS and remote virtual towers. Then, they will pursue opportunities with
federal contract towers, which are particularly common in the South.
“There’s a couple hundred of those physical towers today that have controllers
working them,” Rogers said. “We feel that’s the initial opportunity space for
municipal airports that have aging towers that need to be replaced but can’t afford
or don’t want to pay for a physical air traffic control tower.”
Virtual towers are a cheaper alternative, which might be attractive to cashstrapped municipal airports.
“There’s infrastructure discussions ongoing at the White House.”
Rotor and Wing International
March 14, 2019
Raytheon is teaming with Frequentis to bring the latter’s remote virtual tower
technology to the U.S. as part of airspace modernization efforts.
Raytheon is a major contractor in the FAA’s NextGen modernization program,
implementing its standard terminal automation replacement system (STARS)
technology throughout the country. That phase of the National Airspace System
(NAS) modernization is set to be completed at its final locations this year —
important because it readies facilities for the coming January 1, 2020 ADS-B
mandate — and Raytheon is looking at more upgrades.
Frequentis has developed what it called a remote virtual tower: technology that
allows air traffic controllers to serve all the functions of a control tower from
anywhere in the world through the extensive use of cameras and real-time video.
A wall of displays replaces the tower’s familiar windows overlooking the airfield
and shows controllers what is happening, with the added bonus of automated
overlays to provide more information and highlight items of interest.
“A lot of the federal contract towers, more than 100 of them are beyond their
economical use for life so they have a lot of serious issue with them and they are
expensive to maintain,” he said.
According to Rogers, switching from a physical tower to a virtual tower is simpler
than putting a virtual tower where there previously was no tower because in the
former case, the systems are already in place to facilitate tower control. However,
being more difficult doesn’t mean it’s not an option.
“It could potentially enable additional airports to have tower services,” Rogers said.
AIN Online
Industry to Congress: Continue Funding Contract Towers
March 4, 2019
There are FAA Contract Control Towers at 256 airports around the U.S., handling 28
percent of all ATC tower operations. The contract control tower program accounts
for only 14 percent of the FAA budget for air traffic control tower operations, an
efficiency level measured by both DOT and FAA. On February 26 a mixed group
of industry association leaders sent a letter to Rep. Nita Lowey (D-17-New York),
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 47
48
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, along with Sens. Richard
Shelby (R-Alabama), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and
several other strategic decision-making representatives and senators imploring they
continue funding the program at its full $170 million for Fiscal Year 2020, and leave
key language from previous FAA spending bills in place.
“Federal contract towers operate with FAA-staffed facilities as part of a unified
national air traffic control system. Absent this highly successful government/
industry partnership, many local communities and smaller airports would not
receive the safety benefits of ATC services,” said the letter, which was signed by
NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, along with U.S. Contract Tower Association
executive director J. Spencer Dickerson, AOPA president and CEO Mark Baker,
NATA president Gary Dempsey, NASAO president and CEO Shelly Simi, Cargo
Airline Association president Stephen Alterman, RAA president Faye Malarkey
Black, Airports Council International–NA president and CEO Kevin Burke, and
ATCA president and CEO Peter Dumont. Lowey (D-17-New York), chairwoman
of the House Appropriations Committee, along with Sens. Richard Shelby
(R-Alabama), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and several other
strategic decision-making representatives and senators imploring they continue
funding the program at its full $170 million for Fiscal Year 2020, and leave key
language from previous FAA spending bills in place.
“Federal contract towers operate with FAA-staffed facilities as part of a unified
national air traffic control system. Absent this highly successful government/
industry partnership, many local communities and smaller airports would not
receive the safety benefits of ATC services,” said the letter, which was signed by
NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, along with U.S. Contract Tower Association
executive director J. Spencer Dickerson, AOPA president and CEO Mark Baker,
NATA president Gary Dempsey, NASAO president and CEO Shelly Simi, Cargo
Airline Association president Stephen Alterman, RAA president Faye Malarkey
Black, Airports Council International–NA president and CEO Kevin Burke, and
ATCA president and CEO Peter Dumont.
Support For Contract Tower Program Funding Urged
Press Release
March 1, 2019
AOPA and eight other aviation organizations have signed a letter urging the
chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee to support a funding level
of not less than $170 million for the Contract Tower Program in the fiscal 2020
appropriations bill.
The program enjoys strong bipartisan support and has provided essential,
cost-effective air traffic safety services for more than 30 years, with 256 smaller
airports in 46 states now participating, said the letter to committee Chairwoman
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). A similar letter was sent to other appropriations
committee leaders in Congress.
The program’s control towers handle 28 percent of all such operations in the
United States, but only account for about 14 percent of the FAA’s budget for air
traffic control tower operations—saving the FAA and taxpayers approximately
$200 million a year, said the letter signed by AOPA President Mark Baker and
leaders of the other groups.
48 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
In addition to contributing to the functioning of the national air transportation
system, the Contract Tower Program plays a key role in disaster relief, law
enforcement, emergency medical operations, economic development, and military
readiness and security.
“The bottom line is that absent this highly successful government/industry
partnership, many local communities and smaller airports would not receive the
significant safety benefits of ATC service,” the letter said.
In addition to AOPA, the letter was also signed by the U.S. Contract Tower
Association, Regional Airline Association, National Business Aviation Association,
National Air Transportation Association, Airports Council International– North
America, National Association of State Aviation Officials, Air Traffic Control
Association, and Cargo Airline Association.
The Republic
Up in the Air: Columbus Municipal Airport Seeks Funding for New Control Tower
February 18, 2019
First, it was wood. Then, it was metal.
Now, the 65-year-old, 60-foot control tower that overlooks Columbus Municipal
Airport could receive a new makeover if a funding request is approved by the
Federal Aviation Administration later this year.
The airport staff applied for a $7.1 million supplemental grant in October to fund
the project, which would involve designing and building a new control tower near
the southeast side of the terminal.
Getting the funding may not be as simple a task as it seems.
“Control towers, when it comes to priorities from the FAA standpoint, are fairly
low on the list,” said Brian Payne, director of Columbus Municipal Airport. “We’re
trying to figure out how to bump that need higher.”
A supplemental grant program, however, could be the best chance at getting full
funding for a new tower.
President Donald Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act on March
23, 2018, which provided the FAA Airport Improvement Program an additional $1
billion in discretionary grants.
The FAA gives priority considerations to non-primary airports classified as
regional, local or basic and not located within a “metropolitan” or “micropolitan”
statistical area. Priority is also given to primary airports classified as small or
non-hub airports.
Columbus Municipal Airport falls under this consideration, but Payne said airport
officials may not find out until as late as May whether Columbus receives a grant.
“When this came up, we thought this was perfect,” Payne said of the
supplemental grant.
He and his team put together a packet of support letters from Indiana leaders
including Gov. Eric Holcomb, Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and local state
representatives. Now, Payne said it’s a waiting game.
If funding for the new tower is approved, it would stand twice as high as the
current tower, at 120-feet tall.
Payne said its height will improve visibility of all runways. Plus, if a runway is
extended in the future, it will ensure that the tower can be seen.
Lienhoop said there’s both safety and economic needs for a new tower.
“We fear that over time it (the current tower) will be less relevant to heavy
users of the airport,” Lienhoop said. “We fear that we may get to the point
where some of the larger aircraft we rely on to create economic activity for us
will be prevented from landing here because the tower will be deemed to be
inadequate.”
“We’d like to get out in front of that concern now while we can,” the mayor said.
The Columbus AirPark already has several plans in place for new development
this year. Payne and his team are currently designing a new fence to surround the
airport. Bidding for contracts will take place this summer.
Payne said the airport is awaiting a grant from the FAA for the $3 million project,
which could start in fall 2019 or spring 2020. The city would only be required to
pay for 5 percent of the project. The FAA will pay 90 percent of the costs and the
Indiana Department of Transportation will cover the remaining 5 percent.
The airport is also seeking to redevelop 60 acres of land on the eastern airport
campus for an Aeroplex Commerce Center aimed at light industrial businesses.
The AirPark currently has 84 businesses located on airport property with more
than 2,000 employees.
Most recently, the Columbus AirPark installed new blue street signs signifying the
district. As a part of the branding project, new monument signs will be installed at
all AirPark entrances. Bus shelters throughout the district will also be rebranded.
“We’re trying to show that this place is different,” Payne said. “Making people want
to come here, making businesses say, ‘Oh, they’ve got a lot of really good things
going on out there,’ and then they can move or relocate their businesses here.”
It all adds up to one solution, Payne said: Bringing more people to Columbus AirPark.
Raymond John Van Vuren, Jr.,
Dies Jan. 19, 2019
In 1986, Sid Robinson, an FAA radar engineer and Ray Van Vuren, former director
of FAA Air Traffic Service, merged their businesses to establish Robinson Van
Vuren Associates (RVA), Inc. At the death of Sid Robinson, the company was
renamed Robinson Aviation in his honor but retained the (RVA) name in respect to
Ray Van Vuren.
The founding fathers created a corporate culture that reflected honesty, integrity
and a passion to provide superior aviation services and products. The past
administration of Wes Cozart and the leadership of current President/CEO Keren
McLendon have safeguarded these values and guaranteed the legacy of Sid
Robinson and Ray Van Vuren are forever enshrined in RVA’s future.
Cincinnati Municipal Airport Llunken Field
FAA CONTRACT TOWER LIABILITY PROGRAM INSURANCE
FAA’s Contract Tower Program liability insurance is contracted through Alliant Insurance Services.
Sponsor airports seeking information on insurance coverage should contact Regina Carter, senior vice president, 2175 North California Boulevard, Suite
715, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, 415-990-0169, rcarter@alliant.com; and Sean Kyllonen, assistant vice president, 559-712-1288, skyllonen@alliant.com.
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 49
50
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Flagler
Executive
Airport
50 // 2019
U.S. Contract
Tower Association Annual Report
Sugar Land Regional Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 51
52
TOWERS IN THE NEWS
Page Field
Missoula
Airport
52 // 2019International
U.S. Contract Tower
Association Annual Report
Grand Prairie Municipal Airport
Witham Field
Grand Strand Airport
Mobile Downtown Airport
Lynchburg Regional Airport
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 53
54
FAA CONTRACT TOWER LIST
AIRPORT NAME
Bethel
Kenai Municipal
King Salmon
Kodiak
Brookley (Mobile)
Dothan
Tuscaloosa Regional
Fayetteville
Northwest Arkansas Regional
*Rogers Municipal-Carter Field
*Springdale
Texarkana Mun./Webb Field
Chandler
Flagstaff Pulliam
Glendale
Goodyear (Phoenix)
Laughlin/Bullhead City
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway
Ryan (Tucson)
Castle
Chico
Fullerton
Hawthorne
Mather (Sacramento)
Modesto
Oxnard
Palmdale
Ramona Airport
Redding Municipal
Riverside
Sacramento Executive
Salinas Municipal
San Carlos
Brown Field (San Diego)
San Luis Obispo
Santa Maria
Victorville
Whiteman (Los Angeles)
William J. Fox (Lancaster)
Eagle County
Front Range
Grand Junction
Bridgeport
Danbury
New London (Groton)
Brainard (Hartford)
Tweed-New Haven
Waterbury/Oxford
Albert Whitted (St. Petersburg)
Boca Raton
Cecil Field (Jacksonville)
54 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
STATE
AK
AK
AK
AK
AL
AL
AL
AR
AR
AR
AR
AR
AZ
AZ
AZ
AZ
AZ
AZ
AZ
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CO
CO
CO
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT
FL
FL
FL
256 towers as of Dec.. 31, 2019. Towers marked with an asterisk participate in the cost-share program.
AIRPORT NAME
Charlotte County
Destin Executive
Gainesville
Hernando County
Hollywood
Craig (Jacksonville)
Key West
Kissimmee
Lakeland International
Leesburg International
Melbourne
Naples
New Smyrna Beach Mun.
Ocala
Opa Locka (Miami)
Ormond Beach Mun.
Page Field
Palm Coast/Flagler County
Panama City/Bay Co.
Pompano Beach
St. Augustine
Stuart/Whitham
Titusville/Cocoa
Athens Municipal
Fulton County
Gwinnett County
Macon
McCollum
SW Georgia/Albany-Dougherty
Agana
Kalaeloa
Kona/Keahole
Lihue
Molokai
Dubuque
Friedman Memorial (Hailey)
Idaho Falls
Lewiston-Nez Perce Co.
Pocatello Municipal
Bloomington/Normal
Decatur
So. Illinois/Carbondale
St. Louis Regional
Waukegan Regional
*Williamson County (Marion)
Columbus Municipal
Gary Regional
*Monroe County/Bloomington
*Muncie/Delaware County
Forbes Field (Topeka)
Garden City
STATE
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
GA
GA
GA
GA
GA
GA
Guam
HI
HI
HI
HI
IA
ID
ID
ID
ID
IL
IL
IL
IL
IL
IL
IN
IN
IN
IN
KS
KS
AIRPORT NAME
Hutchinson Mun.
Johnson Co. Exec.
Manhattan
New Century Air Center (Olathe)
Philip Billard Mun. (Topeka)
Salina Municipal
Barkley Regional (Paducah)
Owensboro/Daviess Co.
Acadiana Regional
Alexandria
Chennault
Houma
Shreveport Downtown
Barnes Municipal
Beverly
Hyannis
Lawrence
Martha’s Vineyard
New Bedford
Norwood
Worcester
Easton
Frederick Municipal
Martin State (Baltimore)
Salisbury-Wicomico
Washington Co. (Hagerstown)
Battle Creek
Detroit City
*Jackson
Sawyer
Anoka (Minneapolis)
St. Cloud Regional
Branson
Columbia
*Jefferson City
Joplin Regional
Rosecrans Mem’l (St. Joseph)
Saipan International
Golden Triangle Regional
Greenville Municipal
Hawkins Field (Jackson)
Meridian/Key Field
Olive Branch
Stennis International Airport
Tupelo Regional
Gallatin Field (Bozeman)
Kalispell
Missoula
Albert J. Ellis
Concord
Hickory Regional
STATE
KS
KS
KS
KS
KS
KS
KY
KY
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
MA
MA
MA
MA
MA
MA
MA
MA
MD
MD
MD
MD
MD
MI
MI
MI
MI
MN
MN
MO
MO
MO
MO
MO
MP
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MT
MT
MT
NC
NC
NC
AIRPORT NAME
Kinston
New Bern
Smith Reynolds (Win.-Salem)
Minot
Central Neb. (Grand Island)
Boire Field (Nashua)
Lebanon Municipal
Trenton
Double Eagle II
Farmington Municipal
*Lea County/Hobbs
Santa Fe Co. Mun.
Henderson (Las Vegas)
Francis F. Gabreski
Tompkins County
Niagara Falls
Rome-Griffiss
Stewart
Bolton Field (Columbus)
Burke Lakefront (Cleveland)
Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)
Lunken Mun. (Cincinnati)
Ohio State University
*Ardmore Municipal
Enid Woodring Mun.
Lawton-Ft. Sill Regional
Univ. of Oklahoma/Westheimer
Stillwater
Wiley Post
Aurora State Airport
Klamath Falls
McNary Field (Salem)
Medford
North Bend
Pendleton
Redmond
Troutdale (Portland)
Capital City (Harrisburg)
Lancaster
Latrobe
University Park
*Williamsport/Lycoming Co.
Isla Grande
Rafael Hernandez Airport
Greenville Donaldson Center
Grand Strand/Myrtle Beach
Greenville Downtown
Hilton Head Airport
Rapid City Regional
Millington
Smyrna
STATE
NC
NC
NC
ND
NE
NH
NH
NJ
NM
NM
NM
NM
NV
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OK
OK
OK
OK
OK
OK
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
SC
SC
SC
SC
SD
TN
TN
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 55
56
FAA CONTRACT TOWER LIST
AIRPORT NAME
STATE
McKeller-Sipes (Jackson)
Arlington Municipal
Brownsville Int’l
Denton Municipal
Easterwood
Fort Worth-Spinks
Galveston
Georgetown
*Grand Prairie
Laredo International
Lone Star Executive (Conroe)
McAllen
McKinney Municipal
Mesquite
New Braunfels Municipal
North Texas Regional Airport
Redbird
Rio Grande Valley (Harlingen)
San Angelo
San Marco
Stinson Municipal (San Antonio)
Sugar Land
Tyler
Victoria
Waco TSTC
Ogden-Hinckley
AIRPORT NAME
STATE
Provo Municipal
Charlottesville-Albemarle
Lynchburg
Henry E. Rohlsen (St. Croix)
Bellingham Int’l
Felts Field (Spokane)
Olympia
Renton
Tacoma Narrows
Walla Walla Regional
Yakima
Appleton
Central Wisconsin
Chippewa Valley
Kenosha Municipal
Lacrosse
Rock County (Janesville)
Timmerman (Milwaukee)
Waukesha County Airport
Wittman Regional (Oshkosh)
Greenbrier Valley
Morgantown
Parkersburg
Wheeling Ohio Co.
Cheyenne
Jackson Hole
TN
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
UT
UT
VA
VA
Virgin Islands
WA
WA
WA
WA
WA
WA
WA
WI
WI
WI
WI
WI
WI
WI
WI
WI
WV
WV
WV
WV
WY
WY
FAA OPERATED FACILITIES
Western Service Area
Northwest
BFI
SEA
ZSE
NORCal
ATCTs Not
Labeled
SMF
CCR
SCK
LVK
HWD
PAO
APC
MWH
EUG
BOI
NV
RNO
SLC
RHV
MRY
SBA
CO
UT
FAT
ASE
VGT
LAS
L30
JCF
BJC
D01
ZDV
DEN
APA
COS
PUB
GCN
CMA
BUR
SMO
LAX
PSP
ZLA LGB
SNA
CRQ
SAN
PRC
SCT
P50
Southern
California
DVT
PHX
Western
Desert
ZAB
ABQ
AZ
NM
LBB
ROW
ELP
ABI
MAF
FTW DAL
ADS
AFW
DFW
ZFW D10
ACT
TX
BRW
Greater
Southwest
Alaska
A11 ANC
ENA
ILI
DLG
HOM
SHV
GGG
IAH
BPT
Texana
Hawaii-Pacific
FAI
HCF
PAQ
MRI
ZAN
JNU
JNU
CDB
KTN
SIT
FAA-Staffed Flight Service Station
56 // 2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report
Saipan
GSN
ZUA
HNL
O’ahu
GUM
Guam
Guam - Saipan
Maui
OGG
Hawai’i
HI
ITO
Total
FAA-Operated
Facilities
331
MS
JAN
LA
LCH LFT
ZTL
AL
CSG
MGM
MLU
MOB
GPT
BTR
I90
CRP
SCC
AK
FAI
TKA
DWH
HOU
AUS
SAT
OTZ
OME
ALB
POU
BDL
PVD
BED
BOS
ACK
GRB
ZMP
AR
SDL
FFZ
TUS
U90
SYR
New England
ZBW
TVC MI
Y90
BUF ROC BGM
MBS
ZNY
ELM
ISP
FNT
AVP
MKG
FRG
LAN
PTK
SD
JFK
PA
EWR
ERI
MKE ZAU GRR ARB
ABE
DTW
N90 New
PNE
RDG
MSN C90 PWK
PIT
YIP D21 CLE
York
FSD
PHL ACY
ORD AZO
IA
MDT
TOL
YNG
RFD
ILG
AGC
ALO
DPAARR MDW SBN ZOB
BWI
SUX
CAK
LAF FWA
PIA
CID
MFD
ADW
OMA
NE
MLI
ZDC
CMH CKB
CMI ZID
IAD DCA
IND
DSM
R90
DAY OH
WV PCT
LNK
HEF
IL SPI
HUF IN
ATCSCC RIC
PHF
CRW
Capitol
Heartland
VA
ORF
CVG
T75 STL
HTS
MCI
EVV
ZKC
ROA
MKC
LEX
CPS
LOU
GSO
SUS
KS
SDF
RDU
NC
KY
Kansas City
MO
TRI
FAY
ICT
ILM
TYS
AVL
CLT
SGF
BNA
Piedmont
TN
FLO
M03
GSP SC
CHA
MEM
OK
MYR
TUL
CAE
ATL PDK
AMA
Southern Skies
LIT
OKC RVS
CHS
FSM
ZME BHM HSV
A80
AGS
M98
STP
MSP
FCM
RST
CPR
Susquehanna
WI
PWM
BTV MHT
NY
Great Lakes
DLH
FAR
BIS
WY
Rocky
Mountain
A11
ZLC
MN
BGR
VT
Lake Effect
MIC
ID
TWF
CA
OAK
SFO
SJC
MT
BIL
OR
GFK
ND
HLN
BFL
SOCal
ATCTs Not
Labeled
VNY
EMT
POC
CNO
ONT
PAO
MYF
SEE
GTF
PSC
NCT
Eastern Service Area
Northern Planes
GEG
P80
STS
ME
Central Service Area
WA
PDX
HIO
ZOA
SierraPacific
PAE
S46
Federal Aviation
Administration
MSY
NEW
GA
JAX
P31
PNS
SAV
TLH
Magnolia
ZHU
ATCT/Tower Only 134
ATCT/TRACAB 6
ATCT/TRACON 123
ATCT/Non-Radar Apch - 2
TRACON 24
ARTCC 21
4
CCF/CERAP Command Center 1
FSS/NOTAM Group 15
FL
TPA
PIE
SRQ
SFB
ORL
ZJX
DAB
MCO
PBI
F11
VRB
FPR
RSW
ZMA
Paradise
Cuba
FXE
FLL
MIA
TMB
New York
ATCTs
Not
Labeled
MMU
HPN
TEB
LGA
CDW
FAA
331
FCT
256
Military ATCT 130
Military RAPCON/
TRACON
42
NFCT
31
Remote Tower 1
Total Known Fixed ATC
Facilities in the NAS
791
Bahamas
Haiti
Dominican
Republic
Hispaniola
Puerto Rico
SJU
STT
ZSU
St. Thomas
Puerto Rico
St. Thomas
Jan 2019
St. Croix
FAA CONTRACT TOWERS (FCT)
Western Service Area
Central Service Area
BLI
WA
OLM
Northwest
TIW
YKM
UAO
MSO
LWS
RDM
SUN
RDD
PIH
CIC
SAC
NV
MHR
SQL
Southern
California
SMX
IFP
VCV
OXR
PMD
WHP
RAL
HHR
FUL
RNM
SDM
SAF
AZ
GEU
GYR
Western
Desert
WDG
FMN
FLG
AEG
CHD
HOB
RYN
SJT
HQZ
RBD
Greater
Southwest
Area 6
Serco
AK
Hawaii-Pacific
Kauai
LIH
Bethel
BET
King
Salmon
JRF
O’ahu
Saipan
GSN
ENA
Kenai
AKN
Moloka’i
MKK
LA
MEI
MS
SGR
Southern Skies
CRG
FIN
OMN
EVB
TIX
Magnolia
BKV LEE ISM MLB
LAL
SUA
SPG
PGD
BCT
PMP
Paradise FMY
HWO
APF
OPF
Area 4
RVA
FL VQQ
Area 2
RVA
GNV SGJ
OCF
HRL
Bahamas
EYW
Cuba
BRO
Guam - Saipan
Western Service Area
St. Thomas
St. Croix
TCM-J
GRF-R
Northwest
RDR
MT
ND
ID
HIF
XTA
CA
VBG
NLC-V
NTD-V
NSI-V
NUC-V
NZY-V
CYS
IA
NE
IDP
IAB
AZ
LUF
CVS
FHU-R
OK
FSI-R
GVT
DYS
BIF-R
DLF
Greater
Southwest
EFD
Hawaii-Pacific
WV
MEI
PQL
SSC
SC
GA
OZR-R
NSE/
NDZ-V
EGI
FL
HRT
LCQ
PAM
Magnolia
HBK-V
Saipan
O’ahu
HHI-R HNG-M
Guam - Saipan
NKT-M
Piedmont
Southern Skies
SVN-R
NRB-V
NIP-V
2CB-R
LEGEND
Air Force
J - Joint Bas
R - Army
V - Navy
M - Marines
C - Coast Guard
Guard
Non-Fed Twr
ANG/FCT
XMR
X68
MCF
06FA
BOW
Paradise
COF
Key West
NQX-V
Cuba
Bahamas
NBW-V
Haiti
Dominican
Republic
Moloka’i
HI
JRF
GUA-J
Guam
Capitol
NCA-M
NBC-M
EZM
LSF-R LHW-R
VAD
VLD
New
York
NEL-V
WRI-J
GSB
POB
MMT
WRB
MXF
BIX NPA-V
FBG-R
HFF-R
VUJ
AL
NBG-V
Texana
TN
NJ
APG-R
MRB
NC
FTK-R
Kauai
AEI
ABI-R
AFR-R
SLJ-R
LA
HDC
RND-J
NOG-V
AK
BAD
POE-R
NQI-V NGP-V
AFB-R
CBM
OQU
ADW-J DOV
DAA-R
NHK-V
WAL
LFI-J
NGU-V
VA NUI-V FAF-R
NTU-V
BKT-R
ECG-C
LCK
ILN
HUA-R
NMM-V
AEX
GRK-R
FFO
EOD-R
MS
AR
NFW-V
TX
HLR-R
Alaska
LRF
SPS
HMN
Western
Desert
CGI
TIK
LTS
NM
DMA
HOP-R
TBN-R
FMH-C
MUI-R
JST
KY
END
CSM
LGF-R
BVI
AID
MO
BEC
PSM
SCH
NY
PA
IN
BLV
SZL
KS
FCS-R
EKM
IL
STJ
FRI-R
COS
CO
Heartland
OFF
New
England
NH
JSD
MI
OH
BKF
INS
NRS-V
AED-J
Susquehanna
MTC
UT
LSV
NID-V
EDW
SBD
SLI-R
NFG-M
NKX-M
MHV
VOK
SD
RCA
WY
Rocky
Mountain
NV
SUU
Southern
California
GCC
NFL-V
NUQ
APN
WI
GOV-R
MOU
BAB
VT
GTB-R
RYM-R
LMT
ME
Eastern Service Area
Lake Effect
MN
OR
SierraPacific
Federal Aviation
Administration
Central Service Area
SKA
HSF-R
Hawai’i
STX
Jan 2019
Northern Planes
WA
Puerto Rico
SIG
BQN
Puerto Rico
St. Croix
MILITARY & NON-FED (NFCT) TOWERS
NUW-V
Dominican
Republic
Haiti
Hispaniola
Total Number of
FAA Contract Towers
256
HI
Legend
Midwest
RVA
Serco
Guard
CI2
HXD
GA
ECP
DTS
HUM
GLS
Texana
VCT
Piedmont
ABY
DHN
BFM
HSA
ARA
CWF
MCN
EWN
OAJ
CRE
AHN
FTY
TCL
GTR
NC
JQF
MFE
Area 7
Midwest
KOA
Hawai’i
GUM
Guam
ADQ
Kodiak
GLH
HKS
AEX
CLL
CXO
BAZ
SSF
LRD
TYR
CNW
HYI
Alaska
DTN
AL
Capitol
GMU
GYH SC
RYY LZU
New
England
FCTs Not
Labeled
GON
OXC
HFD
BDR
HVN
SBY
CHO
ISO
HKY
MQY
TUP
OLV
TXK
GYI
TKI
GTU
MKL
MTN
ESN
INT
TN
Area 1
Midwest
New
York
NJ
LYH
LWB
OWB
NQA
AR
WV
FDK
KY
PAH
MO
ROG
ASG
FYV
ADM
DTO
GPM
FWS
GKY
LUK
FOK
TTN
VA
MGW
PKB
SWF
CXY LNS
HGR
HLG
TZR
BMG
MDH
BBG
XNA
BKL
OSU
BAK
MWA
JLN
OUN
LAW
NM
IWA
OK
OH
MIE
ALN
JEF
SWO
PWA
TX
IL
COU
FOE IXD OJC
Kansas City
GCK
WJF
GYY
IN
UNV
LBE
CGF
ITH
IPT
PA
JXN
UGN
DEC
DET
BTL
Heartland
STJ
TOP MHK
HUT
HND
SBP
MWC
ENW
BMI
SLN
KS
CO
JVL
DBQ
IA
NE
FTG
EGE
GJT
UT
MER
CYS
IAG
ATW
OSH
UES
LSE
GRI
PVU
MOD
SNS
CWA
ANE
WY
Rocky
Mountain
OGD
CA
SD
RAP
JAC
ASH LWM
BVY
OWD
HYA
EWB
MVY
ORH
BAF
DXR
RME
Susquehanna
MI
New
England
LEB
NY
Great Lakes
SAW
EAU
STC
IDA
ME
VT
Lake Effect
WI
ID
OR
Eastern Service Area
MN
ND
BZN
LMT
SierraPacific
MOT
MT
PDT
MFR
Area 3
Midwest
Northern Planes
GPI
ALW
TTD
SLE
OTH
Area 5
Serco
SFF
Federal Aviation
Administration
Puerto Rico
Hispaniola
Military Towers – 130
Non-Fed Towers – 31
*This map may not reflect all towers since there is no unified list
of military or non-fed towers
Puerto Rico
St. Croix
St. Thomas
St. Croix
Jan 2019
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 57
FA A C O N T R A C T
TOWER LIST
Chennault
58 // 2019 International
U.S. Contract TowerAirport
Association Annual Report
FAA CONTRACT TOWER
POINTS OF CONTACT
CENTRAL SERVICE AREA
(AGL, ACE, ASW)
2601 Meacham Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76137
Abraham Oommen // 817-222-4261 // Abraham.Oommen@faa.gov
EASTERN SERVICE AREA
(ANE, AEA, ASO)
1701 Columbia Ave.
College Park, GA 30337-2745
John Seliga // 404-305-7153 // John.Seliga@faa.gov
WESTERN SERVICE AREA
(ANM, AWP, AAL)
1601 Lind Ave., SW
Renton, WA 98055-4056
Steve Mares // 206-231-2892 // Steve.Mares@faa.gov
FAA HEADQUARTERS
Contract Tower and Aviation Weather, AJT-2230
600 Independence Ave., S.W., 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20591
CONTRACT TOWER AND AVIATION WEATHER
Program Manager
Lisa Caudle // 202-267-0849 // lisa.caudle@faa.gov
FCT SERVICE AREA POINT OF CONTACTS
Purvis Collier // 202-267-0519 // purvis.collier@faa.gov
Ken Cunningham // 202-267-0823 // ken.cunningham@faa.gov
Gary Suarez // 202-267-0877 // gary.ctr.suarez@faa.gov
Harold Thomas // 202-267-7922 // harold.e-ctr.thomas@faa.gov
2019 U.S. Contract Tower Association Annual Report // 59
American Association of Airport Executives