Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT)
Overview:
This webinar, one in a series of ATC topics, addresses the operational environment and functioning of the Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT). The initial subject focuses on the primary control positions located in the tower. Each position is discussed to identify the responsibility of the control position and the types of control strategies that are employed to safely and efficiently manage aircraft operating on the Airport Movement Area (Ground Control) and within the Airport Traffic Area (Local Control). Also addressed are the operational considerations associated with the close interaction with the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON).
In addition, an operational scenario is dissected to allow the attendee to understand the controller’s thought process and strategies while resolving real time control conflicts. There will also be media "games" to allow the attendee to actually "experience" the personal stress of ATCT operations.
Why should you Attend: The Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) is the most visible of all air traffic control (ATC) facilities, yet most people have a limited understanding what the tower controllers are actually doing let alone how they are getting it done. If you have a personal or professional need to fully understand the United States Air Traffic Control System and the operational and functional integration of its component elements, an incomplete understanding of the role of the ATCT can, and often does, undermine the operational value and effectiveness of technological efforts to enhance the systemic performance of the National Airspace System (NAS) by failing to addressing the "real world" conditions and issues that constrain operational capabilities. From a controller’s perspective, too often technical "solutions" and enhancements solve the "easy" part of ATC and often, because of a naïve understanding of ATC procedures, end up actually INCREASING controller workload instead of lessening it.
If you are a pilot, much of your ATC exposure and experience will involve operating at an airport having an operating tower. Your experience will be more intuitive and less frustrating with an understanding of what the ATC system is trying to accomplish and how works. If you are simply interested in aviation, an understanding of ATCT operations is fundamental to understanding the aviation system.
Areas Covered in the Session:
- Tower control positions
- Ground Control procedures and control strategies
- Tower (or Local) Control procedures and control strategies
- Examples of ATCT operations
Who Will Benefit:
- Engineers and other developers of ATC technologies and systems
- Managers and other aviation strategic planners
- Government and industry aviation executives
- Pilots
- Aviation enthusiasts