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Remote control tower - interesting
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:20 am
by 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
Re: Remote control tower - interesting
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:09 pm
by 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
Re: Remote control tower - interesting
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:12 am
by 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