Craig Field To Get U.S.’s First Remote Tower ATC Center

The Selma Economic Development Authority has announced plans to set up a Remote Tower Air Traffic Control Center at Craig Field (SEM) in Selma, Alabama. The project will be led by Valdosta, Georgia-based air traffic control academy Advanced ATC Inc. and conducted in partnership with Spain’s Indra Corp., which will provide staffing, software and logistics support. The center is expected to be the first of its kind in operation in the U.S. and is designed to allow air traffic controllers to “perform all the functions of a traditional control tower from a different location through the extensive use of cameras, real-time video and other advances.”

“Remote towers represent an important and innovative step in airspace modernization efforts in the U.S., and I’m excited to see Advanced ATC establish its pioneering operation at Craig Field,” said Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce Greg Canfield. “This virtual tower center represents another example of how our state is at the leading edge of trends shaping the future of aviation and aerospace for the U.S.”

Advanced ATC plans to invest $4.7 million in the Remote Tower Air Traffic Control Center along with hiring 28 people for Craig Field operations in the first year. In addition, Advanced ATC intends to establish an international training academy at SEM to “provide operational training and certifications for the remote tower air traffic controllers.” A timeline for the project was not announced.