Air traffic controllers keep aircraft safely separated and moving efficiently, on the ground and in the air. A single airline flight is usually handled by several teams: the tower at the departure airport, an approach control (TRACON) during the climb, one or more en route centers (ARTCCs) at cruising altitude, and then another TRACON and tower at the destination.
The three kinds of ATC facilities
Airport tower
Tower controllers work from the glass cab you see at the airport. Clearance delivery gives each flight its route, ground control guides aircraft along the taxiways, and the tower (local) controller clears takeoffs and landings and handles traffic close to the airport. The FAA counts 527 airport traffic control towers in the U.S.
Approach control (TRACON)
TRACON stands for Terminal Radar Approach Control. These controllers work on radar, usually in a dark room away from the runways, sequencing arrivals and departures in the busy airspace around one or more airports. They line flights up for landing and guide departures up and away.
En route center (ARTCC)
An Air Route Traffic Control Center handles flights at higher altitudes between airports, across huge regions spanning several states. Twenty centers cover the lower 48 states, with more facilities for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam. On a long flight you may be handed through several of them.
A flight, step by step
Here is how a typical flight from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New York (JFK) gets handed along:
- Fort Lauderdale Tower clears the takeoff.
- Miami TRACON guides the climb out of South Florida.
- Miami, Jacksonville, Washington and New York Centers take turns up the East Coast at cruising altitude.
- New York TRACON sequences the arrival into one of the busiest airspaces in the world.
- JFK Tower clears the landing.
That's eight teams of controllers for one flight. You can look up any route the same way and thank every facility along it.
The job, by the numbers
According to the FAA, more than 14,000 FAA air traffic controllers handle an average of more than 44,000 flights a day. Many facilities run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays, storms and overnight shifts.
Who controllers work for
Most U.S. air traffic controllers are FAA employees. Some smaller towers are run by private companies under the FAA's Contract Tower Program, and the military runs towers at its own bases.
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Common questions
What is the difference between a tower, a TRACON and a center?
A tower handles the runways and the airspace right around an airport. A TRACON (approach control) handles arrivals and departures in the busy airspace around one or more airports. A center (ARTCC) handles flights at higher altitudes between airports, across large regions.
What does TRACON stand for?
Terminal Radar Approach Control. TRACON controllers work on radar to sequence arrivals and departures around busy airports.
What does ARTCC stand for?
Air Route Traffic Control Center, often just called a center. Twenty centers cover the lower 48 states.
How many air traffic controllers are there in the U.S.?
According to the FAA, more than 14,000 FAA air traffic controllers, handling an average of more than 44,000 flights a day.
How many controllers handle one flight?
A typical airline flight is handed through several facilities: a tower, an approach control, one or more en route centers, then another approach control and tower. A cross-country flight can involve ten or more teams.