I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1386 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to 
assess the operational benefits of remote air traffic control towers, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 7, 2017 
Mr. KATKO (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, and Mrs. COMSTOCK) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
pilot program to assess the operational benefits of remote 
air traffic control towers, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. REMOTE TOWER PILOT PROGRAM FOR RURAL 
OR SMALL COMMUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish a pilot program under which, upon 
approval of an application submitted by an operator of a 
public-use airport, the Secretary shall install and operate 
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at the airport a remote air traffic control tower in order 
to assess the operational benefits of remote air traffic con-
trol towers. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—The operator of an airport seek-
ing to participate in the pilot program shall submit to the 
Secretary for approval an application that is in such form 
and contains such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.— 
(1) SELECTION
OF
AIRPORTS.—From among 
the applications submitted under subsection (b), the 
Secretary, after consultation with representatives of 
labor organizations representing operators and em-
ployees of the air traffic control system, shall select 
for participation in the pilot program 7 airports as 
follows: 
(A) One nonhub, primary airport. 
(B) Three nonprimary airports without ex-
isting air traffic control towers. 
(C) Two airports with air traffic control 
towers participating in a program established 
under section 47124 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(D) One airport selected at the discretion 
of the Secretary. 
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(2) PRIORITY
SELECTION.—In selecting from 
among the applications submitted under subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall give priority to applicants 
that can best demonstrate the capabilities and po-
tential of remote air traffic control towers. 
(3) AUTHORITY TO REALLOCATE AIRPORT SE-
LECTION.—If the Secretary receives an insufficient 
number of applications, the Secretary may reallocate 
the distribution of airport sites described in para-
graph (1). 
(4) MULTIPLE REMOTE FACILITIES.—If prac-
ticable and necessary, the 3 remote air traffic con-
trol towers installed at nonprimary airports pursu-
ant to paragraph (1)(B) may co-locate remote facili-
ties to assess the benefits and efficiencies of consoli-
dating such facilities. 
(d) ASSET CLASSIFICATION.—A remote air traffic 
control tower, including ancillary equipment, installed with 
Government funds pursuant to this section shall be consid-
ered to be an air navigation facility. 
(e) SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT PANEL.— 
(1) SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT PANEL MEET-
ING.—Prior to the operational use of a remote air 
traffic control tower, the Secretary shall convene a 
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