DOT Reports Contract Towers Are Better than the FAA’s

Mark Phelps

Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 09:58 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The Federal Contract Tower (FCT) program operates towers that are both less expensive and safer than those staffed by FAA controllers, according to a DOT Inspector General review.
On average, FCT towers cost $1.5 million less due to lower staffing levels and salaries, with potential for further cost reduction through better enforcement of financial contract terms.
FCT towers reported significantly fewer safety incidents (197) compared to FAA-staffed towers (362) with comparable traffic levels.
The report recommends including FCT facilities in voluntary safety reporting systems, such as the Air Traffic Safety Action Program.

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In its fourth review of the 30-year-old Federal Contract Tower (FCT) program, the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General found the outsourced towers both less expensive and safer than those staffed by FAA controllers.

On average, an FCT tower costs $1.5 million less than a comparable FAA tower, according to the report. Those findings were based on comparing 30 randomly selected FCT towers with 30 FAA-operated towers.