ATC

Welcome to r/ATC, a subreddit dedicated to the art, science, and career of air traffic control. Please feel free to join our community and contribute! Please read the rules, though. Thank you!

20K votes, 451 comments. 5.1M subscribers in the MapPorn community. High quality images of maps.

VATSIM is the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation network, connecting people from around the world flying online or acting as virtual Air Traffic Controllers.

About how Centers work

I recently got so close, yet failed, to starting ATC training. I know it’s ridiculous coming from me, given I have no experience in the field and I…

Historic US and Canadian fortifications

Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP) is an FAA enroute center in Farmington, Minnesota. View details including hours, location, phone number, salary, and staffing.

30 votes, 46 comments. Exactly what the title says, when I say ATC Sim I mean a piece of software that simulates real life and let’s you control an…

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In the Terminal Option… TRACON: Radar/Approach Controller. This is the guy that actually talks to the aircraft. He is normally sitting in front of a Radar display or, in the case of a Nonradar approach control, in front of a control board. Assist/Handoff Controller. Sits next to the Approach Controller and handles the flight progress strips (strip marking) and coordination with other sectors and facilities. This function is often unstaffed and duties are combined with Approach Control. Coordinator. Directs the overall flow of traffic and handles coordination between positions in the TRACON. Within the TRACON, there are also certain duties associated with the various positions: Arrival. Handles the flow of aircraft from the Center (ARTCC) to the final controllers. This is the guy that assigns runways and sets the aircraft up upon initial entry into terminal airspace. Arrival - Final. Sequences and spaces aircraft to the airport. This is the guy that feeds the final sequence to the airport/tower. Final Controller. Not common these days. This guy works the final on a Radar (PAR or ASR) approach. Tower: Local/Tower. Works airborne aircraft in the immediate vicinity of the airport, the runways, and certain taxiways. Class B or Surface Area controller. A Radar controller who works airborne aircraft in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Ground. Works those taxiways and runways that are not assigned to the Local controller. Assist. Has specific duties involved with assisting a Local or Ground controller. Coordinator. Makes flow decisions and handles coordination between positions, usually between Local controllers/assists.