Air Traffic Control Entities

 

ATC (Air Traffic Control) is intended to prevent mid-air and on-ground collisions between two or more aircraft. Also, ATC assures the order and the expedited flow of air traffic. There are several ATC entities and each one has its own function throughout the flight. For example, when you are on the ground, and you want to taxi to the runway, you should contact Ground Control, until you reach the runway; at that point, Tower will be in charge of your take-off. The two entities chosen for this week’s blog are Tower and Flight Service Station (FSS).

The function of the tower is to ensure safe and expeditious operation in the vicinity of the airport. It is important to note that this is a non-radar facility, so the controllers must have the aircraft in visual contact to control them. However, radars can be used as an aid to monitor the position of airplanes around the airport. Other operations such as traffic patterns are also controlled by Tower.

On the other hand, FSSs are air traffic control facilities that provide advisories, briefings, and information to the pilots regarding the route to be flown. FSS does not provide control, however, they can relay clearances in some cases, for example, when taking off from an uncontrolled airport.  They also process NOTAMs, weather information, and search and rescue services.

There are more ATC entities that play an important role on every flight. It is important to understand the role and services provided by each entity as well as the airspace structure in order to conduct a safe operation.

 

Reference:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. (2020). FAR AIM: Federal aviation regulations aeronautical information manual: Rules and procedures for aviators.