NATCA Bookshelf

50 R e f e r e n c e s N A T C A I N W A S H I N G T O N 2 0 2 4 N i W To d a y Q & A n The 35-day government shutdown from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, also halted all FAA modernization programs, causing significant delays and wasting critical resources and federal taxpayer money. The FAA and NATCA continue to work together collaboratively to keep these programs on track. n Sequestration, the resulting April 2013 furloughs, and the October 2013 government shutdown created needless delays in the development, design, and implementation of NextGen and increased costs in these key modernization programs for our aviation system. n Despite these challenges, thanks to collaboration between the FAA and NATCA, we have achieved several successes on NextGen projects including ERAM, DataComm, and Metroplex. U N M A N N E D A I R C R A F T SYST E M S/ D R O N E S Does NATCA support the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)? n The safe and efficient integration of UAS into the NAS is a top priority for NATCA. n NATCA believes that the widespread commercial application of UAS must not be permitted until the FAA establishes clear and enforceable operating standards. n It is important to strike a balance between maintaining existing safety levels within the NAS, the potential value of UAS to the economy, and the need for protocols to regulate the wide spectrum of UAS operations. R E M OT E TO W E R S What is the status of the Remote Tower program? n The 2018 FAA reauthorization bill created a pilot program for remote towers at up to six locations. The current track record for this technology is not encouraging. To date, the testing program at Ft. Collins, Colorado (FNL) has been unsuccessful. A remote tower system was deployed and extensively tested at Leesburg airport in Virginia. However, that system struggled to deliver certain critical capabilities. For instance, it could not clearly depict the aircraft type when close to the runway. n NATCA has concerns about any expansion of this program without better planning and evaluation of the technology involved. Does NATCA support the Remote Tower program? n NATCA has numerous concerns regarding the possible operation of remote towers, from human factors to the ability of controllers to identify and maintain visual contact with aircraft in the traffic pattern. n NATCA believes there are technological advancements in remote tower systems that may have a place in the NAS as a way to enhance certain air traffic levels of services, rather than looking at this new technology as a "replacement" for current air traffic control towers (ATCTs). These enhanced levels of service could be included: • As part of a contingency plan or for possible use to monitor remote airports during midnight operations, • For assistance with line-of-sight issues at current ATCTs, or • For possibly providing a level of service that may include traffic advisories, but without separation responsibilities. n NATCA must remain engaged in the discovery, development, and testing of new technologies to safeguard the NAS and ensure that the workforce has a voice in all future changes to the NAS.

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