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

Examples of air traffic control in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Airline experts share what travelers should expect over the next decade, from pricier tickets to air traffic control and sustainability. — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Sununu, who formerly served as governor of New Hampshire, urged Congress to find more money to overhaul the air traffic control system — on top of the billions lawmakers appropriated last year to upgrade communications and radar equipment. — Joel Rose, NPR, 1 July 2026

Aviation reshaped commerce only after airports, maintenance networks and air traffic control took hold. — Charles Beames, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

In audio obtained by CNN, the plane's pilot can be heard reporting the incident to air traffic control. — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for air traffic control

• amphibole
• asystole
• buttonhole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole