air traffic control
noun
: the process or system by which the movements of aircraft are monitored and directed by ground personnel communicating with pilots by radio
improving the technology used for air traffic control
also
: the personnel who operate an air traffic control system
Pilots would still have to file flight plans, which could be modified by air traffic control if they posed any safety hazards. —
David R. Hinson
David R. Hinson Examples of air traffic control in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
People were getting most of their information about what’s going on from their phones, Gangel said, as airline officials told passengers there was an air traffic control issue.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, supervising a drone is more akin to air traffic control than actually flying an aircraft, so the military often placed drone operators in critical roles with inadequate preparation.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
How an airport is run—along with its layout, local weather, and air traffic control constraints—can matter just as much, if not more.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
How the two sets of pilots couldn’t hear each other’s air traffic control communication nor see each other’s locations because collision avoidance technology wasn’t required or activated.
—Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for air traffic control
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Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, supervising a drone is more akin to air traffic control than actually flying an aircraft, so the military often placed drone operators in critical roles with inadequate preparation.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
How an airport is run—along with its layout, local weather, and air traffic control constraints—can matter just as much, if not more.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
How the two sets of pilots couldn’t hear each other’s air traffic control communication nor see each other’s locations because collision avoidance technology wasn’t required or activated.
—Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for air traffic control
Cite this Entry
“Air traffic control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20traffic%20control. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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