Hilton Head Island Airport Upgrades Control Tower With New Situational Awareness System

Hilton Head Island Airport has completed the installation of a new situational awareness system in its air traffic control tower, providing controllers with real-time visibility of aircraft operating in the surrounding airspace.

The system, the uAvionix FlightLine Airborne Position Reference Tool (APRT), has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and delivers live aircraft position data through receivers installed on the tower. Airport officials say the technology enhances controller awareness and supports safer and more efficient operations.

Hilton Head’s tower is one of roughly 265 control towers in the United States that are not owned or operated by the FAA. The facility is owned by Beaufort County and operated by Robinson Aviation Inc.

Prior to the installation, Hilton Head was among 91 control towers nationwide that did not have surveillance tools to display airborne traffic. Controllers relied primarily on visual observation and radio communications to manage aircraft movements.

“As controllers, we are proud to be the first RVA airport to have this system operational,” said Bill Nascimento, air traffic manager for Robinson Aviation at Hilton Head Tower. “It delivers a significant enhancement to safety for our airport and operators and brings our tower technology on par with other ATC towers in the country.”

The new system provides controllers with a live display of aircraft positions, improving situational awareness during periods of higher traffic and reducing workload associated with managing aircraft movements without surveillance support.

Hilton Head Island Airport serves a mix of commercial, corporate, general aviation and military traffic, with activity levels increasing significantly during the region’s peak spring and summer travel seasons.

Airport officials said the surveillance system is part of broader efforts by Beaufort County to modernize tower capabilities and support operational safety.

“Providing a safer airport for our passengers and pilots is of great importance to us,” said Dan Neeson, airport operations manager for Hilton Head Island Airport. “Providing our controllers with state-of-the-art capabilities is a top priority for us.”

According to uAvionix, the installation at Hilton Head represents the first deployment of the technology at a Robinson Aviation-operated tower, with additional installations planned at other locations.

“Leveraging the same technology successfully deployed under the Surface Awareness Initiative for the FAA in Savannah, this is another completed upgrade in support of the modernization of our national ATC system,” said Cyriel Kronenburg, vice president of airports and air traffic management at uAvionix.

Airport Director Jon Rembold said the project involved collaboration between the airport, FAA, Robinson Aviation and uAvionix.

“The airport is committed to the safest, most efficient operations possible,” Rembold said. “We thank the FAA, uAvionix and our partners at RVA for their critical roles in achieving this.”