Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 3; Flight Crew Total 1700; Flight Crew Type 1183
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure; Airspace Structure; Airport; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I did practice takeoff and landings (touch and go's) at Leesburg Airport (JYO). At that time; the airport had its test remote Control Tower in operation. Weather was terrific; clear skies and very light wind. I departed and turned to enter a left downwind per instructions from the Control Tower. After calling in on downwind the Tower cleared me for a touch and go which was uneventful. As I climbed out the Tower may have instructed me to turn westbound (which would put me on a right downwind). I was not sure due to communications interference on the frequency. I tried to raise the Tower several times to clarify. However; communications were impossible due to constant interference from other aircraft. To avoid Dulles airspace (IAD); I once again entered a left pattern. There were no other aircraft on downwind. Once on downwind I notified the Tower that I had entered a left downwind and was cleared for a touch and go landing.On short final; the Tower then instructed me to make an immediate go-around due to an aircraft that was also on final behind me. I had no advance warning from the Tower of the traffic being on final. The Tower then instructed me to turn westbound after the touch and go and enter a right pattern. I flew a normal pattern later turning from right downwind to base. I did not receive any traffic advisories from the Controller. As I leveled off I noticed a high winged aircraft that was approximately 1 mile to my left on final. The Tower instructed the other aircraft to do an immediate 360 degree turn for spacing. I was cleared to land and continued the approach making an uneventful full stop landing.The Tower Controller was having difficulty determining where aircraft were in the pattern. This is speculation on my part; but as I pre-flighted the airplane; I noticed that the observation trailer adjacent to the taxi-way was manned by a Controller. This is in lieu of the more sophisticated remote Control Tower system that is currently being tested. If this was the case the limited visibility of the trailer may have made it difficult for the Controller to visually observe traffic in the pattern.
C172 pilot reported communication issues with remote JYO Tower Controller and traffic conflicts while flying in the VFR pattern.