air traffic control

noun

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Definition of air traffic control

: 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

See air traffic control defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of air traffic control from the Web

These are items like radios and antennas — anything our troops in the field need to communicate — and also air traffic control systems deployed in the field.

— New York Times, "Her Job: Help the Troops Do Theirs," 6 July 2018
Flight 1623 was scheduled to depart for Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. ET, but stopped responding to air traffic control before takeoff.

— alexandra deabler, Fox News, "JetBlue flight mistakenly sends hijack alert, triggering huge scare at JFK airport," 28 June 2018
The flight, which was taxiing for departure to Los Angeles, became unresponsive to air traffic control shortly before takeoff.

— natasha bach, Fortune, "A JetBlue Pilot Accidentally Triggered a Hijacking Alert. Panic and Chaos Ensued," 27 June 2018
Flight 1623 from New York City to Los Angeles stopped responding to air traffic control before takeoff and sent out a code indicating the plane was experiencing a security threat, according to CNN.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "JetBlue Plane Mistakenly Stormed by Armed Police Officers After Radio Glitch," 27 June 2018
Andrew Todd Fox of the National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of the plane reported to air traffic control that the plane's landing gear had not extended properly prior to the crash.

— Houston Chronicle, "Plane in deadly Detroit crash registered to League City man," 25 June 2018
An audio recording of Shults’ messages to air traffic control sheds light on the harrowing twenty minutes between the failure and the plane’s landing.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "Philly's eviction crisis, inside Southwest flight's emergency landing | Morning Newsletter," 19 Apr. 2018
Smoke filled the plane as the pilots sent out an emergency call to air traffic control to request to land at the nearest available airport.

— leada gore, AL.com, "$10,000 reward offered for fugitive in 1996 plane crash that killed 110, including 2 Alabamians," 11 Apr. 2018
Most of the guests work in security; air traffic control and customs for the unusual spike in inbound flights; international media; or with FIFA.

— brett martel, Fox News, "Saransk swells from building boom of World Cup proportions," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'air traffic control.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.