{"id":26957,"date":"2023-10-21T15:11:49","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T15:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saj.pachecostudios.com?p=26957"},"modified":"2023-10-21T15:12:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T15:12:21","slug":"northern-colorado-regional-airport-remote-tower-project-paused-controlled-airspace-to-continue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/state-news\/colorado\/northern-colorado-regional-airport-remote-tower-project-paused-controlled-airspace-to-continue\/%20","title":{"rendered":"Northern Colorado Regional Airport Remote Tower Project Paused – Controlled Airspace to Continue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
A view above the center camera mast for the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) Remote Tower Project. While the project is being paused, controlled airspace will continue at the airport. <\/em>
Photo by Shahn Sederberg, CDOT.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since 2015, the Colorado Department of Transportation\u2019s\n(CDOT) Division of Aeronautics (State), the Northern Colorado Regional Airport\n(FNL), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been collaborating on\nan innovative effort to bring remote air traffic control tower technology to\nFNL and Colorado. This technology uses video cameras and other sensing\ntechnologies to emulate the operational safety and efficiency benefits of a\ntraditional air traffic control tower but with additional flexibility and\ncapabilities at a much lower capital and operational cost than a traditional\nair traffic control tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, the FAA selected Searidge Technologies of Ottawa,\nCanada to be the remote tower technology provider at FNL, and in March 2020, a\nmobile air traffic control tower was installed in advance of a structured\ntesting and evaluation program to eventually certify and operate a permanent\nremote tower at FNL.  Unfortunately, a\nnumber of circumstances have occurred that have impacted the program, including\nthe COVID-19 pandemic and related multi-year FAA travel restrictions, as well\nas continually changing FAA standards for remote tower certification. As a\nresult, Searidge Technologies has advised the FAA that they will terminate work\non the FNL remote tower program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As this transition occurs over the next several weeks, the\nstate, FNL, and the FAA will collaborate on a new path forward that preserves\nexisting air traffic control services at FNL for the foreseeable future.  During this time, future options will be\nevaluated for continued development of the remote tower facility at FNL as well\nas potential options for a traditional air traffic control tower.  Significant interest exists from other remote\ntower technology providers to continue development at FNL, and the state and\nFNL will be working closely with the FAA to explore this option as the\npreferred alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile we are disappointed to see Searidge leave the remote\ntower program, we remain optimistic that the cost-effective benefits of remote\ntower technology will have tremendous value to Colorado\u2019s future aviation\nsystem, and we intend to vigorously support future development of the technology,\u201d\nsaid CDOT\u2019s Aeronautics Director David Ulane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFNL has a well-deserved reputation for innovation, safety,\nand development and the Remote Tower is a great example of that focus. The\nRemote Tower has already provided an exceptional, innovative pathway to meet\nthe operational demands of our growing airport in a safe, cost-effective, and\ntimely way,\u201d said David Ruppel, Northern Colorado Regional Airport interim\ndirector. \u201cWhile this news is unfortunate, we are confident that with the FAA\u2019s\nongoing support, CDOT\u2019s commitment to this project and our airport, as well as\ninterest from other highly qualified vendors, we will be able to carry this\neffort forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since 2015, the Colorado Department of Transportation\u2019s (CDOT) Division of Aeronautics (State), the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been collaborating on an innovative effort to bring remote air traffic control tower technology to FNL and Colorado. This technology uses video cameras and other sensing technologies to emulate the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-colorado"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26957"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26960,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26957\/revisions\/26960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}