Contract Tower Central 

Following the 1981 PATCO strike, the FAA started a new program to contract out for air traffic control services at many of the smaller airports that were forced to close because of staffing shortages due to the strike. Since that time, the program has grown and currently there are 243 contract towers in the FAA program, including new towers built at smaller airports across the country. Of those 243 towers, NATCA represents 62. 

The majority of the contract towers are operated by one of the following four companies: Robinson Aviation, Midwest ATC, Serco or Airservices Australia.  The remaining towers are county or city owned and operated. The towers tend to be small in size and operation, typically employing between five and 10 controllers, many of whom are retired FAA and military air traffic controllers.

Labor Union Rights
Contract Tower FAQ's
NATCA Contract Towers
Union Authorization Card

For more information on NATCA's Contract Tower Program:

Tom Bertelsman, NATCA FCT Organizer
tbertelsman@natcadc.org

1325 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 800-266-0895
Fax: 202-628-9558