Work has been paused on a remote tower project at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) in Loveland, Colorado.
According to officials with the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Division of Aeronautics, “airspace at KFNL will continue to be controlled via the mobile air traffic control tower.”
Since 2015, the state, the airport, and the FAA have been collaborating on “an innovative effort to bring remote air traffic control tower technology to KFNL and Colorado,” state officials noted. “This technology uses video cameras and other sensing technologies to emulate the operational safety and efficiency benefits of a traditional air traffic control tower, but with additional flexibility and capabilities at a much lower capital and operational cost than a traditional air traffic control tower.”
In 2018, the FAA selected Searidge Technologies of Ottawa, Canada, to be the remote tower technology provider at the airport, and in March 2020, a mobile air traffic control tower was installed in advance of a structured testing and evaluation program to eventually certify and operate a permanent remote tower at the airport, state officials explained.
“Unfortunately, a number of circumstances have occurred that have impacted the program, including the COVID-19 pandemic and related multi-year FAA travel restrictions, as well as continually changing FAA standards for remote tower certification. As a result, Searidge Technologies has advised the FAA that they will terminate work on the KFNL remote tower program,” state officials said in a Oct. 18, 2023, press release.
Colorado aeronautics officials said the state, airport, and FAA will collaborate “on a new path forward that preserves existing air traffic control services at KFNL for the foreseeable future.”
“During this time, future options will be evaluated for continued development of the remote tower facility at KFNL, as well as potential options for a traditional air traffic control tower,” state officials said. “Significant interest exists from other remote tower technology providers to continue development at KFNL, and the state and KFNL will be working closely with the FAA to explore this option as the preferred alternative.”
“While we are disappointed to see Searidge leave the remote tower program, we remain optimistic that the cost-effective benefits of remote tower technology will have tremendous value to Colorado’s future aviation system, and we intend to vigorously support future development of the technology,” said CDOT’s Aeronautics Director David Ulane.
“KFNL has a well-deserved reputation for innovation, safety, and development and the Remote Tower is a great example of that focus. The Remote Tower has already provided an exceptional, innovative pathway to meet the operational demands of our growing airport in a safe, cost-effective, and timely way,” said David Ruppel, Northern Colorado Regional Airport interim director. “While this news is unfortunate, we are confident that with the FAA’s ongoing support, CDOT’s commitment to this project and our airport, as well as interest from other highly qualified vendors, we will be able to carry this effort forward.”
The only other remote tower project in the nation, at Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) in Virginia, was also scrubbed earlier this year. The FAA canceled the remote tower program, which had been at KJYO since 2015, in June 2023.
The decision wasn’t actually made by the FAA, but by SAAB Inc., the company that designed and operated the remote tower. On Feb. 7, 2023, the company notified the FAA that it was terminating its pursuit of FAA System Design Approval for the prototype remote tower.
Like at KFNL, a mobile air traffic control tower is in place at Leesburg Executive Airport while work begins on building a permanent tower.
GREAT NEWS! The project is “PAUSED”. Just MORE wasted taxpayer ‘Dollars’ on an UN-NEEDED albatross that normie pilots can take care of themselves. Bye Bye Uncle Sam!