Airline Reporting Portal

Air traffic control (ATC) is a ground-based service that manages aircraft movement to ensure safe, orderly, and efficient flow of air traffic. Controllers coordinate takeoffs, landings, and flight paths using radar, radio communications, and sophisticated computer systems.

The system operates through several levels of control. Tower controllers manage aircraft at airports during takeoff and landing phases. Approach and departure controllers handle traffic in terminal airspace around airports, typically within 30-50 miles. En route controllers manage aircraft flying between airports at high altitudes, often covering hundreds of miles of airspace.

Controllers use standardized procedures and phraseology to communicate with pilots, providing clearances for altitude changes, route modifications, and separation from other aircraft. They maintain minimum separation distances - typically 3-5 miles horizontally or 1,000 feet vertically - to prevent collisions.

Modern ATC relies heavily on radar systems that track aircraft positions, along with flight data processing systems that manage flight plans and predict aircraft movements. Controllers work in facilities ranging from airport control towers to large area control centers that may manage traffic across multiple states or countries.