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Federal Contract Towers Must Meet Same Standards As FAA Towers, And It's Part Of Our Job To Help Them Do It
When you call an airport control tower anywhere in the United States, chances are you can't tell from the quality of the service you receive whether you're dealing with an FAA operated tower or one of the dozens in our part of the country operated by private contractors as part of the Federal Contract Tower (FCT) program. And that doesn't just happen.
Services provided by an FCT are identical to those provided by an FAA-staffed tower. Contract controllers are certified by the FAA to the same standards as FAA tower controllers and must follow appropriate Code of Federal Regulations and FAA directives.
The contract towers are often called "non-Fed" towers. And even though not operated by the FAA, they are under the control of the FAA and must meet the same standards as FAA towers. To assure that they do, checks of the equipment by qualified technicians are required quarterly. An annual check is also required for recertification, with an FAA inspector on site, observing and certifying the various checks and tests being done by avionics and other technicians.
A controller in the Bullhead City contract tower communicates with an aircraft on short final, and others waiting for clearance onto the runway. Across the Colorado River, in the distance, is a view of Laughlin, Nevada. |
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Kings Avionics has been given the responsibility for maintaining the equipment of contract towers at Bullhead City, AZ, Henderson, NV and Jackson, WY.
Among the equipment maintained by Kings technicians at these towers are the transmitters and receivers for ground control and local air traffic control, plus another set for backup. We also maintain the wind speed and direction equipment, temperature reading equipment, a digital altimeter setting instrument (DASI), light gun and emergency battery back equipment.
In addition, we maintain the voice switch--a computer-based audio panel at each controller position which allows the operators, usually two, to transmit and receive on any radio set, or all radio sets at once, as well as communicate on the telephone with other control towers, air traffic centers and flight service stations--all trough their headsets.
The annual inspections and tests for recertification of the towers at Bullhead City and Henderson were completed in early March by Kings Avionics technicians Lynn Mitchell and Stuart Ashenden.
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Kings Avionics technician Lynn Mitchell is shown calibrating the wind speed and direction sensor at the Bullhead City contract tower during a recent recertification check, done under the supervision of an FAA inspector. |
Not only do contract towers provide service equal to FAA towers but, as a taxpayer, you will probably be glad to know that, according to the U. S. Department of Transportation, they do it for about a little over half the annual cost. How's that for a "win-win" deal?
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