CONTROL TOWER POSITION
The position of the control tower on the apron is vital to the safe operation of the aircraft. Ground aircraft controllers need to be able to see all stand perimeters, taxiways and runways and final approaches. One of the more challenging aspects of control tower design is the operational requirement to permit controllers to see the stand areas and taxiways so that they can control and coordinate push back operations where pilots are effectively blind in this regard. The control tower staff must be able to provide clear guidance to pilots by being able to know the clearance status of the stand and taxiways visually and through communications. Apron areas are often vast and can be interlaced within intricate building infrastructure.
Apron, runway and taxiway control rooms should, wherever possible, be consolidated into a single elevated apron control room, with 360° unobstructed panoramic vision of the areas mentioned (subject to the requirements of the national ATC provider and local operator). Dual elevated apron control rooms maybe used (subject to the requirements of the national ATC provider and local operator) where any one of more of the following situations have been met:
• Taxiways and runways are placed extra long distances away from the terminal apron stand areas, which results in the need to raise the control tower for this purpose only.
• More controllers will have a better vision of specific areas of the apron.