Sponsors (4)
Official title: To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air traffic control towers, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 30, 2026 by Nicholas J. Begich · Last progress April 30, 2026
The bill improves safety and operational reliability at contract air traffic towers by mandating certified equipment, professional installation, and training (with reimbursements for early adopters), but does so at higher federal/local costs, potential limits on vendor competition, and tight installation deadlines that could strain resources.
Contract tower controllers at affected towers will have improved situational awareness and operational safety because certified APRTs or STARS must be installed within one year.
Contract towers and their local sponsors will receive mandated OEM or FAA installation and periodic training, improving equipment maintenance, consistency of operations, and reducing the likelihood of service disruptions.
Airports or towers that already purchased certified systems will be reimbursed, lowering unexpected local costs for those sponsors.
Federal acquisition and ongoing operating costs will increase, potentially raising taxpayer expenses tied to FAA obligations and Grants-in-Aid funds.
The one-year installation deadline may strain FAA and contractor resources, risking rushed deployments or temporary service disruptions at some towers.
Requiring OEM services for installation and maintenance could raise program costs and limit competitive options, disadvantaging smaller vendors and increasing costs for local sponsors.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires installation and maintenance of APRTs or STARS-equivalent situational awareness systems at contract air traffic control towers within one year and funds retroactive reimbursement for prior certified purchases.
Requires the FAA to equip contract-operated air traffic control towers that lack STARS or similar tools with certified Airborne Position Reference Tools (APRTs) or equivalent situational awareness systems within one year, and directs the Secretary to purchase, install, and maintain STARS or equivalent systems at Contract Tower Program locations without such equipment within one year. The bill also mandates periodic controller training developed with contract tower operators, authorizes reimbursement or grant funding for towers or airport sponsors that already bought certified systems before FAA installation, and permits coverage of acquisition, installation, and annual operating costs for APRTs at affected contract towers.