Tower (1996): BAO Ltd.'s Windows Air Traffic Control Simulator
Status unclearYear: 1996 · Developer/Publisher: BAO Ltd. · Platform: Windows 3.1 · Theme: Modern, Flight
Air traffic control simulators occupy a narrow, almost forgotten corner of the flight-sim genre, and BAO Ltd. built a reputation there well before Tower shipped. The studio was already known as a longtime Microsoft partner on flight simulation software, and Tower represents its attempt to bring an established ATC concept, the lineage behind ATC, also known as Tracon II, forward for Windows 3.1 rather than leaving it stuck as a DOS-era product.
What that update buys players is mostly interface quality. Windows-native on-line help means new controllers don’t have to memorize procedures from a printed manual before touching the game, and the difficulty settings scale the challenge from approachable to genuinely demanding traffic loads. Weather options add another layer on top of that, letting you simulate the kind of conditions that would actually complicate real-world traffic sequencing rather than treating every session as clear-sky-and-calm.
None of this reinvents what an ATC sim is supposed to do: you’re still watching a radar screen, sequencing arrivals and departures, and trying not to let two aircraft occupy the same airspace at the same time. Tower’s contribution is making that loop feel less like a DOS-era chore and more like a properly built Windows application, at a moment when plenty of software from established studios still felt like a straight port with a new installer slapped on top.
It’s a genre with a small, dedicated following rather than mainstream appeal, and Tower was never going to be the game that changed that. For the specific niche of players who already wanted a controller’s-eye view of airspace management rather than a pilot’s-eye view of the cockpit, it stood out at the time as one of the more polished options on the market, built by a studio with real pedigree in the surrounding flight-sim space.
The lack of a credited designer on the original release is a small but telling gap in the historical record. Plenty of niche business and simulation software from small studios in this period shipped without the kind of individual credit that action or adventure titles routinely received, and Tower’s documentation reflects that broader industry pattern rather than any deliberate obscurity. What’s clear regardless is the studio behind it: BAO Ltd. built its name on serious flight-simulation software, and Tower reads as a natural extension of that catalog into the control-tower side of aviation rather than a one-off experiment.
Surviving records list no separate manual or extras alongside the install archive itself, which puts more weight on the in-game Windows help than would be typical for a period title aimed partly at newcomers. That’s a workable trade for a game whose whole premise is teaching an unfamiliar skill through the interface rather than a stack of printed reference pages, but it does mean anyone tracking down a copy today shouldn’t expect a companion manual to turn up alongside it.
How to run it today
Tower’s Windows 3.1 target makes it a slightly trickier proposition than a straightforward DOS game: a Windows 3.1 emulation layer or a period-accurate virtual machine is generally the most reliable path, since running it directly under modern Windows compatibility modes is inconsistent at best.
Compatibility: Windows 3.1 (virtual machine or Windows 3.1 emulation layer recommended) · Controls: Mouse-driven, with keyboard shortcuts for radio commands · Setup difficulty: Medium
Legal status
BAO Ltd. is not known to be an active software publisher today, and there’s no confirmed current rights-holder distributing Tower. As with many niche titles from small 1990s studios, its status is unclear rather than definitively resolved either way.
If you liked this, try
Tornado, cited by contemporary reviewers as a companion recommendation, offers a different angle on the same modern-military flight-sim territory. Microsoft Space Simulator, also developed by BAO Ltd., is worth a look for anyone curious what else the same studio was building around the same period, even though its focus sits in space flight rather than airport traffic.
Frequently asked questions
What older game is Tower based on?
It's built on the same lineage as ATC, also known as Tracon II, updating that air traffic control simulation for Windows 3.1 rather than starting the concept from scratch.
Do I need real aviation knowledge to play Tower?
No. The game includes on-screen help built around Windows' native help system, along with an adjustable difficulty level, so newcomers to air traffic control aren't left guessing at procedures.
What platform did Tower originally require?
Windows 3.1. It was designed specifically to take advantage of Windows-native features rather than running as a DOS title.
Does Tower include weather simulation?
Yes. Adjustable weather conditions are one of its listed options, adding another variable on top of traffic volume and difficulty level.
Who made Tower?
BAO Ltd. developed and published it. The designer credit on the original release wasn't recorded.
Is there a printed manual or other documentation available for Tower?
No separate documentation is known to survive alongside preserved copies of the game. That leaves the built-in Windows on-line help as the primary reference for new players, rather than a companion manual.