To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a remote air traffic control tower pilot program.

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a remote air traffic control tower pilot program. 1. Remote air traffic control tower pilot program (a) In general Not later than 6 months after the completion of a safety risk management panel conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration for the Leesburg, Virginia project, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary shall install and operate not more than 6 remote air traffic control towers to assess the benefits of the technology of such towers. (b) Requirement for operation Before air traffic is actively controlled by a remote air traffic control tower at a participating airport, the Secretary shall complete a safety risk management process for the individual airport. (c) Application An operator of an eligible airport may submit to the Secretary an application to participate in the pilot program under this section before such date and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (d) Selection criteria (1) Selection of airports From among applications submitted under subsection (c), the Secretary may select for participation in the pilot program— (A) 1 nonhub primary airport; (B) 2 reliever airports without existing air traffic control towers; (C) 1 primary airport for the purpose of augmenting the capabilities of an existing air traffic control tower; and (D) 2 airports classified as local or basic in the national plan of integrated airport systems. (2) Applicant selection In carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall— (A) in consultation with the exclusive representative certified to represent air traffic controllers under 7111 of title 5, United States Code, establish a list of benefits of remote tower technology to the National Airspace System and criteria that facilities should meet in order to best achieve those benefits; and (B) select applicants for participation in the pilot program based on such criteria. (3) Ability to alter airport selection If the Secretary receives an insufficient number of applications, the Secretary may alter the site distribution in paragraph (1). (4) Deadline The Secretary shall select airports for participation in the pilot program not less than 90 days after the date that the applications under subsection (c) are required to be submitted. (5) Participation in contract tower program An airport selected for participation under the pilot program shall be eligible for participation in, and funding from, the control tower contract program established under section 47124 of title 49, United States Code. (e) Asset classification A remote air traffic control tower and ancillary equipment installed with Government funds pursuant to this section shall be considered an air navigation facility as defined in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible airport The term eligible airport (2) Remote air traffic control tower The term remote air traffic control tower (A) is designed to provide the functions of an air traffic control tower for an airport without regard to whether the tower is located at such airport; and (B) receives from such airport, through a secure network, high definition real-time images, sensor data, and other data from relevant systems. (g) Period of the pilot program The pilot program under this section shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

Summary: This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT), by six months after completion of a safety risk management panel conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration for the Leesburg, Virginia, project, to establish a pilot program under which DOT shall install, operate, and assess the benefits of the technology of up to six remote air traffic control towers. DOT must complete a safety risk management process for a participating airport before air traffic is actively controlled by a remote air traffic control tower at such airport. An operator of a public-use airport may apply to participate in the pilot program. DOT: (1) shall establish a list of benefits of remote tower technology to the National Airspace System and criteria that facilities should meet in order to best achieve those benefits; and (2) may select for the pilot program, based on such criteria, one nonhub primary airport, two reliever airports without existing air traffic control towers, one primary airport for the purpose of augmenting the capabilities of an existing air traffic control tower, and two airports classified as local or basic in the national plan of integrated airport systems. A selected airport shall be eligible for participation in, and funding from, the control tower contract program. A remote air traffic control tower and ancillary equipment installed with federal funds under this bill shall be considered an air navigation facility. The pilot program shall terminate five years after this bill's enactment.