Sponsors (4)
The bill improves safety at contract towers by funding and mandating APRT/STARS deployment and operating support, but increases federal spending and could strain implementation timelines or concentrate maintenance markets, creating potential cost and operational risks.
Air traffic controllers at contract towers will gain improved situational awareness within one year through installation of APRTs or STARS, reducing collision and airspace-incursion risk.
Contract towers will have authorized annual operating expense support for APRTs, creating a funding stream to sustain these safety systems and support continued safe tower operations.
Airport sponsors and contract towers that already purchased certified systems will be reimbursed or eligible for retroactive grant funding, reducing their out-of-pocket costs.
Taxpayers will face higher federal spending to buy, install, and maintain APRTs/STARS, increasing DOT/FAA budgetary costs.
FAA staff, contractors, and tower personnel face a one-year installation deadline that could strain resources and risk rushed procurements or installation delays that disrupt tower operations.
Requiring manufacturer or FAA maintenance may concentrate service contracts, potentially raising long-term maintenance costs and limiting vendor competition for airport sponsors and small tower operators.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 26, 2026 by Timothy Patrick Sheehy · Last progress February 26, 2026
Requires the FAA to equip contract air traffic control towers that lack modern situational awareness tools with certified airborne position reference tools (APRTs) and to ensure towers have STARS or equivalent systems, with the work completed within one year of enactment. It also establishes training for contract tower controllers on the new systems, allows reimbursement or retroactive grant funding to towers or airport sponsors that already bought approved systems, and authorizes funds for installation and annual operating expenses. The law amends existing airport and FAA authorities to mandate procurement, installation, maintenance (by the FAA or original equipment manufacturers), controller training developed with contract tower operators, and reimbursement procedures for prior purchases. Deadlines and requirements are focused on FAA contract towers and airport sponsors, with a one-year completion target for procurements and installations.