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North Dakota

Ocelot II

(126,395 posts)

3. There have been private ATC towers for years.

Reply to UpInArms (Reply #1)

Tue Jul 22, 2025, 12:05 PM

Jul 22

When traffic at a particular airport drops below a certain level but they want to maintain a tower, the airport might contract with a private company. However, the controllers still have to have been trained by the FAA and follow FAA rules and standards. FAA still has oversight over private towers. When I was a flight instructor in the '90s, the tower controllers at the airport I was working at asked us to do more landing practice at that airport rather than at outlying uncontrolled airports, because each takeoff or landing counted as an "operation" for purposes of traffic, to keep ATC from going private. FAA controllers were paid better and had better benefits than if they worked for a private operator.

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Near-collision between B-52 and SkyWest jet was caught on camera [View all] Eugene Jul 22 OP

A private contractor? UpInArms Jul 22 #1

There have been private ATC towers for years. Ocelot II Jul 22 #3

Private controllers have been a thing for awhile at smaller airports cos dem Jul 22 #4

From the article: markodochartaigh Jul 22 #2

See #3. FAA maintains oversight over private towers Ocelot II Jul 22 #5

I absolutely detest flyovers. They are just a blatant ad for the military. LisaM Jul 22 #6