Air Traffic Control Entities

                                                                Air Traffic Control Entities


    As many of us know ATC plays a huge role in aviation operations. While providing information, ATC also monitors weather, other air players, runway conditions, rerouting, and many other tasks. But how does one group handle all of this at once day in and day out? ATC is not a singular being, think of ATC more as a spider web of different departments. Some of these include the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, Air route traffic control centers, Terminal radar approach control, Air traffic control tower, and the Flight service station. For this blog let's focus on just two, the Flight Service Station and the Air Traffic Control System Command Center. "The FSS provides information (weather, route, terrain, flight plan) for private pilots flying into and out of small airports and rural areas." (Reference two). So essentially the FSS works for the smaller pilots not just big airlines. They are also who provide NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) on radio frequencies. Essentially FSS is the gateway to the day before you takeoff. Whereas the ATCSCC are the monitors for everything that happens during taxi, takeoff, and landing. The ATCSCC still provides information but they also have power to reroute, delay ground movement, ground stops, and coordinate airspace flow. 



Image

https://www.scioteq.com/sites/default/files/styles/business_unit_header_image/public/2019-05/ScioTeq%20AirTraffic%20Control-duotone%20blue%20-crop_0.jpg?itok=4YFGE7RX

How air Traffic Control Works

https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/air-traffic-control.htm

FAA Flight Service Station 

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs

FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/nas_ops/atcscc







Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 13, 2022 at 7:05 AM

    You are correct. A controlling facility is very different from a flight service station. Service stations can only provide notifications, advisories the are able to process information. Unlike other facilities they are not able to provide any kind of clearance and I think that is the biggest difference between the two.

    Side note. I always judge a FSS by how good their food selection is.

    JL

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isaiah GreenJanuary 15, 2022 at 1:33 PM

    Hi Justin,

    I really like your reference of ATC being like a spider web, are you a Spider-Man fan? I saw the new one and it was definitely cool. Anyways I agree with your overall assessment I definitely didn’t think of the FSS being a controlling entity. Thank you for teaching me something new. It definitely makes sense to have them in more rural area.
    -Isaiah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vaughn CroxenJanuary 16, 2022 at 9:29 AM

    It is crazy to think about how many moving parts are involved in air traffic management. As a flight instructor, I should definitely be utilizing flight service station more often.

    ReplyDelete

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