NATCA Bookshelf

REFERENCES 42 NiW Today NATCA in Washington 2026 Q & A What is the status of sequestration? Is sequestration still a problem for NATCA? n Congress passed legislation that avoided sequestration in recent years. Moreover, because the law that implemented sequestration expired at the end of FY 2021, sequestration is no longer an imminent threat. n However, sequestration was a major concern for NATCA, and its effects are still being felt, especially in the areas of controller staffing and modernization programs. Unmanned Aircraft Systems/Drones 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. What is NATCA's position on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAS Operations? n In August 2025, the FAA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled: "Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations." n As required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the NPRM outlines performance-based regulations intended to enable and support the safe and routine use UAS operating BVLOS at low altitudes. The NPRM was also intended to provide a clear and scalable framework for integrating various types of UAS operations into the NAS for activities such as package delivery, agriculture, aerial surveying, and recreation, among others. n NATCA has been consistently collaborating on UAS matters with the FAA and the aviation industry for years, including our participation on the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee. n NATCA supports the stated goals of the BVLOS NPRM, i.e. to provide a clear and scalable framework for safely integrating various types of UAS operations into the NAS. n Air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals represented by NATCA are critical to this process and we stand ready to partner with the DOT, FAA, administration, Congress, and industry stakeholders to accomplish this goal. Remote Towers 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 initial track record for this technology was not encouraging, based on testing at Fort Collins, Colorado (FNL) and at Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO) in Virginia. Those early systems struggled to deliver certain critical capabilities. For instance, it could not clearly depict the aircraft type when close to the runway. n However, as the FAA continues to work toward certifying the first RTS for single runway operations, NATCA continues to be actively engaged with the administration and industry stakeholders to evaluate and assess its safe and efficient integration into the NAS.

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