The FAA’s Air Traffic Services organization has authorized continued operations for the remote air traffic control tower at Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) in Virginia.
What started in 2014 as a public-private partnership among Saab, a company that designs, manufactures and maintains systems in aeronautics, weapons, and more, Virginia SATSLab, and the town of Leesburg, led to the launch of Saab’s remote tower system at KJYO, which became the first under the FAA’s Remote Tower Pilot Program.
Before the remote tower was installed, KJYO, the second busiest general aviation airport in Virginia, had no ATC services.
More than five years of FAA formal evaluations and safety panels led to an initial operational phase, during which controllers safely managed more than 75,000 operations at Leesburg, according to Saab officials.
The remote tower at Leesburg includes fixed High-Definition (HD) cameras and controller displays, maneuverable optical and infrared cameras, microphones, and a signal light gun. In addition to live video, controllers have a full suite of tools required to operate the airport in a similar manner as they would in any other ATC tower, Saab officials note.
While in the future, controllers will be at another location other than the airport, KJYO’s control room is set up in an airport conference room, officials noted.
The FAA’s authorization to continue operations brings KJOY “one step closer to permanent ATC services, while avoiding the ever-increasing expense of constructing and maintaining a conventional, multi-story ATC tower,” company officials said.
“Today’s announcement brings us even closer to an FAA-certified, lower-cost alternative for U.S. general aviation airports needing to replace their aging towers or for busy airports similar to Leesburg seeking to add ATC services,” said Erik Smith, president and CEO of Saab.
my recollection is millville nj has had atc remote for over 10 years
Some of above comments remind me of an old saying “THE SKY IS FALLING”
I have been married for more than 60 years, I now have to cook & clean because health issues have changed the activities in my household. I don’t like it, but that is the way it is.
“Can’t stand the HEAT, stay of the kitchen”.
Might as well accept the fact that things are a-changing.Get over it or get away from flying into or out of airports like these in the future.
Hey Bill, wanna see pictures of my new baby ???
Typo times 7? Airport ID is KJYO not KJOY. First time it is correct KJYO, after that it always refers to KJOY. Looks like a typo.
Bill, you are right! I’ve fixed it now. Janice Wood, editor
What could possibly go wrong?
Nothing, if the system goes down the airport reverts to what it was before, uncontrolled airport and pilots self announce like they do at thousands of other uncontrolled airports.
Pigeon storm, taking out a camera or two. Lightening strike taking out n cameras, radio antennae…
Idiot with a pellet gun…. Out of control Drone strike.
Flash from a strobe…. Wanna know what that used to do in a computer room when we had reel to reel tapes and vacuum columns? Some idiot takes a flash picture of an operationing computer system running payroll (or other Production JOBs). Payroll failed and had to be restarted. Yeah I’m that old and remember these kinds of “what could possibly go wrong” actual events.
But at least they now have quite some actual experience running this even if they were in a conference room in close proximity of that tower.