Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act

Upgrades and funding for contract towers

If enacted, the FAA would have to buy and install certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at air traffic control towers that operate under contract with the FAA under 49 U.S.C. 47124 and that lack STARS or other situational awareness tools. The bill would also require purchase, installation, and maintenance of STARS or an equivalent system at Contract Tower Program towers without such tools, with OEM or FAA maintenance, not later than 1 year after enactment. It would add authority to pay for acquisition, installation, and annual operating costs of certified APRTs and would require a periodic training program for controllers at contract towers. The bill would also require reimbursement or retroactive grant funding to airport sponsors or contract towers that already bought certified situational awareness systems before the federal installation or the bill's effective date.