Remote control tower - interesting

[twharrell]

The latest issues of AOPA and Flying magazine had articles about a remote control tower that will be tested at KJYO (Leesburg, VA). Thoughts, anyone?

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/leesburg- ... trol-tower


Todd

[Nelson L.]

Could be useful in remote areas if operated correctly, but I don't see airports becoming space-limited to the point where this becomes widely adopted globally in the foreseeable future. I would still prefer a human being able to see me out the window for numerous reasons - examples being spotting debris, wing-tip contact, etc.... Technology always has the potential to fail - nothing as of yet is failsafe. Imagine Atlanta without a TWR because birds hit the radar receiver or something

[gavink42]

This is already being done in Sweden.
http://www.saabgroup.com/Civil-security ... ote_Tower/

As a certificated pilot, I don't care for the concept, since there are no actual eyes *at* the airport. As an FAA radar technician, I can say that there are layers upon layers of redundancy built into the NAS. It's hard for me to imagine the FAA implementing a remote tower concept without similar backup.

As for birds taking out the radar... the ASR-9/Mode-S radar sail is huge! To paraphrase Mr. T... I pity that fool bird that gets hit by it!

- Gavin