What's the Inside of the Tower Look Like?

I actually think towers, including smaller VFR towers, are laid out in a pretty clean, efficient way that helps controllers do their jobs. Lots of space to move around, etc. Most seem to have those STARS screens now that feed off the local radar facility.
 
N1120A said:
I actually think towers, including smaller VFR towers, are laid out in a pretty clean, efficient way that helps controllers do their jobs. Lots of space to move around, etc. Most seem to have those STARS screens now that feed off the local radar facility.
Click to expand...

Some of them are pretty cozy. The guys standing behind the controllers sitting barely have room to do so.
 
Towers I've been in:

BJC, APA (the old one), HEF (this was the old relocated APA tower), IAD (the old one), IAD (the new one), DCA (the new one), OSH (the old one, but it was during the middle of the EAA). I've also been in ZDC and PCT and the old IAD and DCA radar rooms before PCT came up. Also sat at the FISK arrival trailer for a while. Probably another one somewhere that I'm forgetting.
 
If you can, call your local tower and ask for a tour. I've been to SMO, SBD and VNY tower visits. It's great to meet the guys/gals and put faces to the voices. Also very informative, you can learn a lot.
SMO and VNY we had to do prior arrangements, but with SBD, we landed and as we were taxiing to fbo we asked ground if we could come up. They said sure, let me send an airport op vehicle to pick you up.
I love tower tours!
But the best one was the recent SoCal TRACON tour down in San Diego.
 
I think these "towers" in a trailer are kinda cute. I saw one this size on the ramp at a small airport a couple of years ago. It was manned by a contractor controller, and he was sitting right there, just a few feet above the pavement on the ramp -- I was tempted to walk over to chat with him in person, instead of radioing him for a clearance.

Runway%20Caravans%20-%20RW%20Trailer-s.jpg


Not sure why the controller in the photo below is wearing epaulets, but it addresses the OP's question, what's it look like inside.

Runway%20Caravans%20-%20RW%20Trailer%20-%20Barkston%20%20Control%20Tower-l.jpg
 
Hippike said:
If you can, call your local tower and ask for a tour. I've been to SMO, SBD and VNY tower visits. It's great to meet the guys/gals and put faces to the voices. Also very informative, you can learn a lot.
SMO and VNY we had to do prior arrangements, but with SBD, we landed and as we were taxiing to fbo we asked ground if we could come up. They said sure, let me send an airport op vehicle to pick you up.
I love tower tours!
But the best one was the recent SoCal TRACON tour down in San Diego.
Click to expand...
 
Recently moved from KFXE in Fort Lauderdale to KPMP because the tiedown fee was increased from $150 to $230 overnight for no good reason. 5 yrs ago I took my son for a tour of the KFXE tower cab. I showed up with a dozen bagels and cheese. The FAA tower supervisor, a lady, refused to let me come up. That was the first time in >60 yrs of flying I was refused entry into a control tower. I left the bagels and split. KPMP, for a municipal tower has some of the most complicated taxi instructions I’ve ever heard. You'd think you were at Atlanta Hartsfield or chicago O’hare. So after experiencing some of these incredibly confusing taxi instructions and re-locating there I requested to visit the tower and see first hand what was causing this. Again I was refused the visit on multiple occasions, at different times, on different days of the week, in person and by phone. Things ssure have change4d since 9/11.
 
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