In a real tower an ATCO can grab binoculars for a closer look at something, a fuel leak, damage visible etc. I assume this still happens? Does one lose the ability to get in close in real time (i.e. faster than looking for a zooming control and reimaging) when in a digital tower? Am thinking landing gear issue or panels open or missing....

Airfield familiarisation runs will take considerably longer too.

The screen resolution is high enough that you can use binoculars on the screen. It obviously won't be nearly as effective as a camera, but it is possible. My guess though is that after a few months on this system moving the zoom-camera around will be just as quick. Not to mention it can be locked to track an object, making it much more effective than a pair of binoculars to monitor something.

I'm not sure normal binos will focus that close in anyway.

So... it’s 2020... any update to the LCY digital tower operation / solution?

I guess you'll find out when the time comes.
Brexit is happening next week and we don't know much about that either...

https://www.aviationnews-online.com/...use-expansion/

Expansion paused, has the Digital Tower gone live yet?

Genuine question - where do NATS stand if LCY now say they no longer need the digital tower or the expense associated with it? Is the on site airfield ATC facility still serviceable? I guess all airfields will be desperate to save cash, I don't think there are many who have spare cash to use on what is in effect a vanity project which has been sold to them by snake oil salesmen. I can't imagine digital towers being a massive priority for quite some time with airfields that have a perfectly adequate on site facility.

The digital VCR for London City was mainly conceived out of the airport plan to use the Control Tower site for stand expansion. If this expansion goes ahead and the Control needs demolishing, the cost of the digital VCR is supposedly equal to that of building a new Control Tower, if a suitable site can be found.

Yes, clearly it would be subject to the expansion going ahead, which is by no means a given.

i.e. for the wrong reason?:)

2 s

Is it still intended that the controllers operating the digital tower for City will be at Swanwick?
I heard a rumour that this is also planned for Manston when it re-opens.

When Manston re-opens ?

Planned for Swanwick. In time perhaps the London City controllers could be cross trained to remotely control other airports such as Southampton? Of course in 8 years time another ANS provider could win and take-over the contract and do it from anywhere....Germany, Ireland, Sweden but hopefully not China!

If one good thing comes out of this pandemic, I really hope that the entire remote tower concept is postponed for many years. As an old grumpy ATCO who has seen a great deal of change over the years (and the majority of changes very good), this has to be the daftest change I have come across. Its been a case of inventing a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist, then presenting it as the saviour of ATC and the future for all airports. Anyone raising objections is scorned as a technophobe and old fashioned. Safety concerns are risk assessed and sidelined. The entire project is dressed up in a safety first package when the real concern is pounds and pence, although I suppose that covers all ATC these days!

So when is ATC at LCY scheduled to switch to digital? What’s the current timeframe and is it aligned with the original?

Excellent exposition, escaped.atco, of the Emperor's New Clothes saga that is remote towers!

2 s

And only today, NATS are running a facebook poll on what is the greatest ever invention for ATC. The irony is that alongside radio and radar, they are pushing digital tower as a contender.

Should be the 'Early Go List'!

My source says lots of negotiations ongoing by beancounters and other people with no working knowledge or experience of civil ATC but looking to do it on the cheap.
Reckons a possible candidate for the 'remote tower' would be ANS at Gatwick!!
Who will do APS I don't know.(ANS Edinburgh?)