334 
ernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 
note). 
(2) U.S. 
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
REGULA-
TIONS.—The term ‘‘U.S. Hazardous Materials Regu-
lations’’ means the regulations in parts 100 through 
177 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (includ-
ing amendments adopted after the date of enactment 
of this Act). 
SEC. 610. REMOTE TOWER PILOT PROGRAM FOR RURAL 
AND 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 
at the airport a remote air traffic control tower in order 
to assess the operational benefits of remote air traffic control 
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.— 
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(1) SELECTION OF AIRPORTS.—From among the 
applications submitted under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary, after consultation with representatives of labor 
organizations representing operators and employees of 
the air traffic control system, shall select for partici-
pation in the pilot program 7 airports as follows: 
(A) 1 nonhub, primary airport. 
(B) 3 nonprimary airports without existing 
air traffic control towers. 
(C) 2 airports with air traffic control tow-
ers participating in a program established under 
section 47124 of title 49, United States Code. 
(D) 1 airport selected at the discretion of 
the Secretary. 
(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 poten-
tial of remote air traffic control towers, including ap-
plicants proposing to operate multiple remote air 
traffic control towers from a single facility. 
(3) AUTHORITY
TO
REALLOCATE
AIRPORT
SE-
LECTION.—If the Secretary receives an insufficient 
number of applications, the Secretary may reallocate 
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336 
the distribution of airport sites described in para-
graph (1). 
(d) ASSET CLASSIFICATION.—For purposes of section 
90317 of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act, 
a remote air traffic control tower, including ancillary 
equipment, installed with Government funds pursuant to 
this section shall be considered to be an air navigation facil-
ity. 
(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 
safety risk management panel for the tower to address 
any safety issues with respect to the tower. 
(2) SAFETY
RISK
MANAGEMENT
PANEL
BEST 
PRACTICES.—The safety risk management panels 
shall be created and utilized in a manner similar to 
that of safety risk management panels previously es-
tablished for remote air traffic control towers, taking 
into account— 
(A) best practices that have been developed; 
and 
(B) operational data from remote air traffic 
control towers located in the United States. 
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(f) AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.—The pilot pro-
gram shall be eligible for airport improvement funding 
under chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code. 
(g) POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF PROGRAM.—Not later 
than 30 days after the date that the first remote air traffic 
control tower is commissioned, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a repeat-
able process by which future certified remote air traffic con-
trol tower systems may be commissioned at additional air-
ports. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
(A) AIR NAVIGATION FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘air navigation facility’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 40102(a) of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(B) 
REMOTE
AIR
TRAFFIC
CONTROL 
TOWER.—The term ‘‘remote air traffic control 
tower’’ means a remotely operated air naviga-
tion facility, including all necessary system com-
ponents, that provides the functions and capa-
bilities of an air traffic control tower. 
(2) APPLICABILITY
OF
OTHER
DEFINITIONS.— 
The terms ‘‘nonhub airport’’, ‘‘primary airport’’, and 
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‘‘public-use airport’’ have the meanings given such 
terms in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code. 
(i) SUNSET.—The pilot program shall terminate on 
the day before the date of transfer, as defined in section 
90101(a) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this 
Act. 
SEC. 611. ENSURING FAA READINESS TO PROVIDE SEAM-
LESS OCEANIC OPERATIONS. 
Not later than September 30, 2018, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall make a final investment decision for 
the implementation of a reduced oceanic separation capa-
bility that, by March 31, 2019, shall be operational and 
in use providing capabilities at least equivalent to that of-
fered in neighboring airspace, and such service shall be pro-
vided in the same manner as terrestrial surveillance is pro-
vided. 
SEC. 612. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING WOMEN IN 
AVIATION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the aviation industry 
should explore all opportunities, including pilot training, 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics edu-
cation, and mentorship programs, to encourage and support 
female students and aviators to pursue a career in aviation. 
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