Sec. 161. Remote tower pilot program for rural and small communities
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The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish— in consultation with airport operators and other aviation stakeholders, a pilot program at public-use airports to construct and operate remote towers in order to assess their operational benefits; a selection process for participation in the pilot program; and a clear process for the safety and operational certification of the remote towers. Prior to the operational use of a remote tower under the pilot program established in subsection (a), the Administrator shall convene a safety risk management panel for the tower to address any safety issues with respect to the tower.
The panels shall be created and utilized in a manner similar to that of the safety risk management panels previously convened for remote towers and shall take into account existing best practices and operational data from existing remote towers in the United States. In establishing the pilot program, the Administrator shall consult with operators of remote towers in the United States and foreign countries to design the pilot program in a manner that leverages as many safety and airspace efficiency benefits as possible.
The operator of an airport seeking to participate in the pilot program shall submit to the Administrator an application that is in such form and contains such information as the Administrator may require. In designing the pilot program, the Administrator shall— to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that at least 2 different vendors of remote tower systems participate; identify which air traffic control information and data will assist the Administrator in evaluating the feasibility, safety, costs, and benefits of remote towers; implement processes necessary to collect the information and data identified in subparagraph (B); develop criteria, in addition to considering possible selection criteria in paragraph (5), for the selection of airports that will best assist the Administrator in evaluating the feasibility, safety, costs, and benefits of remote towers, including the amount and variety of air traffic at an airport; and prioritize the selection of airports that can best demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of remote towers, including applicants proposing to operate multiple remote towers from a single facility.
In selecting airports for participation in the pilot program, the Administrator, after consultation with representatives of labor organizations representing operators and employees of the air traffic control system, shall consider for participation in the pilot program— 1 nonhub airport; 3 airports that are not primary airports and that do not have existing air traffic control towers; 1 airport that participates in the Contract Tower Program; and 1 airport selected at the discretion of the Administrator.
The Administrator shall clearly identify and collect air traffic control information and data from participating airports that will assist the Administrator in evaluating the feasibility, safety, costs, and benefits of remote towers. Not later than 1 year after the date the first remote tower is operational, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report— detailing any benefits, costs, or safety improvements associated with the use of the remote towers; and evaluating the feasibility of using remote towers, particularly in the Contract Tower Program, for airports without an air traffic control tower, to improve safety at airports with towers, or to reduce costs without impacting safety at airports with or without existing towers.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall select airports for participation in the pilot program. In this subsection: The term Contract Tower Program has the meaning given the term in section 47124(e) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act. The term remote tower means a remotely operated air navigation facility, including all necessary system components, that provides the functions and capabilities of an air traffic control tower whereby air traffic services are provided to operators at an airport from a location that may not be on or near the airport.
The terms nonhub airport , primary airport , and public-use airport have the meanings given such terms in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code. This subsection, including the report required under paragraph (8), shall not be in effect after September 30, 2023. Concurrent with the establishment of the process for safety and operational certification of remote towers under subsection (a)(1)(C), the Administrator shall establish a process to authorize the construction and commissioning of additional remote towers that are certificated under subsection (a)(1)(C) at other airports.
For purposes of the pilot program under subsection (a), and after certificated remote towers are available under subsection (b), constructing a remote tower or acquiring and installing air traffic control, communications, or related equipment specifically for a remote tower shall be considered airport development (as defined in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code) for purposes of subchapter I of chapter 471 of that title if the components are installed and used at the airport, except, as needed, for off-airport sensors installed on leased towers.