USCTA Alert

December 4, 2024

USCTA is continuing to work closely with Congress, the FAA, and our industry partners to increase situational awareness for controllers at airports that participate in the FAA Contract Tower Program. We would like to alert you to two events next week that will explore this topic and bring you up to speed on two related FA initiatives:

• The first is a USCTA webinar that we will be holding on Tuesday, December 10 to help educate members on the FAA's plans to deploy Surface Awareness Initiative Displays (SAIDs) and how that could impact FCT airports. We're excited that our friends at SAAB, one of the vendors that the FAA selected for this effort, will provide a presentation and demonstration.
• The second event is a virtual "Industry Day" that the FAA will be holding on Wednesday, December 11 to discuss the agency's plans to have companies manufacture and sell supplemental surveillance tools to certain airports including those that participate in the FCT Program. The effort is aimed at increasing airborne situational awareness for controllers.

We hope you will be able to participate in both events. Below is more information on the USCTA webinar and the FAA Industry Day. Please note that you will need to register for the FAA event.

USCTA Webinar—Tuesday, December 10

On Tuesday, December 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. (ET), USCTA will be holding a webinar to discuss the FAA's plans regarding Surface Awareness Initiative Displays. During the webinar, officials from SAAB will update us on SAID and provide a demonstration. (Those who attended the USCTA Annual Conference earlier this year received a very helpful preview.

Background: The FAA on June 30, 2024, issued an order that establishes procedures for the use of SAIDs to increase situational awareness for controllers at certain airports without Airport Surface Detection Equipment. The move to provide situational awareness for surface operations stems, in part, from the FAA's Safety Call to Action in 2023 after a series of high-profile close calls.

According to the FAA, "all commissioned SAIDs are intended to increase controller awareness through the depiction of ADS-B equipped and transmitting aircraft/vehicles on dedicated displays in the tower cab and Terminal Radar Approach (TRACONs)." As part of the June 30 order, the FAA announced that the agency had selected SAAB and two other vendors to provide the new service.

SAAB points out that situational awareness "means providing a digital map display with real-time aircraft targets on the surface and within 5 nautical miles of the runways." However, USCTA is urging the FAA to consider broadening the use of this technology to include airborne functions as another way to enhance aviation safety at FCT airports.

Zoom Instructions:

Join Zoom meeting
https://aaae.zoom.us/j/85955769219

Meeting ID: 859 5576 9219

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Meeting ID: 859 5576 9219

FAA Industry Day—Wednesday, December 11

On Wednesday, December 11, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. (ET), the FAA will be holding a "virtual industry event to educate companies interested in manufacturing and selling supplemental surveillance tools to increase airborne situational awareness" at certain airports including those that participate in the FCT program.

According to the FAA, these "Airborne Position Reference Tools" (APRTs) will be available for purchase and operation by non-federal entities (e.g., airport authorities). They are intended for use in air traffic control towers that are staffed by non-federally employed controllers and not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems (STARS)." More information on the FAA event may be viewed here.

Background: You will recall that USCTA successfully convinced Congress to include language in the FAA Reauthorization bill that allows air traffic controllers at contract towers to use STARS and other equipment and technologies to improve situational awareness for controllers by May 16, 2025. The bill also allows airports to procure and install this equipment by May 16, 2025.

Registration Required: The FAA's virtual event is open to companies, airports, and others interested in APRTs and the agency's efforts to increase situational awareness for controllers at FCTs. Again, the FAA is requiring attendees to register for this event.