How ATC Really Works: A Pilot-Friendly Manual

How ATC Really Works:

A Pilot-Friendly Manual

Go behind the scenes with ATC and get answers to the questions pilots ask most.

127 pages—fully illustrated with color photos and graphics
Question/answer format
Clear explanations, real-world examples, and realistic scenarios
Digital manual looks great on an iPad; keep it in your EFB app for easy access
Optional spiral bound printed manual
Includes links to useful reference material

A Deeper Understanding of the ATC System

There’s much more to Air Traffic Control than talking on the radio. While most pilots are fluent in aviation phraseology, few have had the benefit of going behind the scenes to learn how ATC really works.

The ATC system is more complex than most pilots realize. Radio communications is only part of the story. A great deal of teamwork and coordination happens between (and within) Towers, TRACONs, and Centers—and most of it’s invisible to you from the cockpit.

We’ll take you behind the scenes and show you how the system works, how controllers do their jobs, and what they can and can’t do for you. You’ll see what happens on the ATC side when you take a typical—or not so typical—VFR or IFR flight. You’ll discover the variety of tools controllers have at their fingertips, the different ways they can provide assistance (when you know what to ask for), and how pilots and controllers can work together more effectively.

Reading this manual is like sitting down with a controller for a conversation about ATC. It will give you a deeper understanding of their world—an understanding you’ll be glad to have.

Useful Guidance for Pilots

This manual was written and reviewed by highly-experienced Air Traffic Controllers, and provides detailed answers to the ATC questions pilots ask most. It will help you anticipate controllers’ instructions, communicate more effectively, make better (more informed) in-flight decisions, and get the best support possible from the ATC system.

The System at Work

The different kinds of Air Traffic Controllers
How controllers are trained
How the “big picture” ATC structure works
The different positions a controller can work
Anatomy of a controller’s cockpit
The number of frequencies controllers work at one time
How landlines work (they’re a real thing)
The kind of radio redundancy controllers have
How local procedures get created
How ATC handles wake turbulence separation
How to schedule an ATC facility tour

Talking to ATC

What to call yourself and ATC when talking on the radio
What you must read back to the controller
How to avoid being “that pilot” on the frequency
How to sound like a pro on the radio (do’s and don’ts)
Why sometimes it’s “10 o’clock and 2 miles,” but other times, “Ahead and to your left”
How quickly you should respond to ATC in different scenarios
What to do if an ATC instruction is impossible, illegal, dangerous, or just makes you uncomfortable
How to chunk down multi-part instructions like approach clearances
How and when radio relays can save the day
The best way to respond to a traffic advisory
Why ATC sometimes calls out obvious traffic

VFR Requests

The best way to request flight following
How ATC uses LOAs to coordinate airspace between facilities
Transitioning Class D airspace on flight following
Class B clearances: best practices and common mistakes
Why ATC doesn’t know anything about the VFR flight plan you filed
When and how VFR flight plans can save the day
Why flight following might be terminated unexpectedly
When to report altitude changes while flying VFR
What you should know about MOAs before flying through them
How to be a good citizen when you’re not talking to ATC

Around the Tower

When to call Clearance Delivery for a VFR departure
When it’s best to request progressive taxi instructions
How ATC protects the runway for you
How quickly you should exit the runway after landing
When two airplanes can be on the same runway at the same time
When you should (and shouldn’t) accept LAHSO if Tower asks
How ATC sequences pattern traffic with each other—and arrivals
The two types of visual separation services that are used by Tower
Reasons why Tower will send you around
Where runway incursions are more likely to happen
Why all Towers don’t use line-up-and-wait

IFR Flight Plans and Clearances

How ATC receives your IFR flight plan
The anatomy of a flight progress strip
How ATC can adjust your IFR flight plan departure time
What “awaiting release” really means
Why an IFR release is NOT a takeoff clearance
Why you might get a full route clearance on the ground, and then “cleared direct” in the air
Why all squawk codes are not created equal
Why it seems rare to get really long direct IFR routes
When you should file a round-robin IFR flight plan
When you might call for your clearance in the air versus on the ground
Why ATC might not have your flight plan when you pick up IFR enroute
Why pop-up IFR isn’t rude (if used properly)
When ATC will ask if you can maintain your own terrain and obstruction clearance
Why your void time is so short, and what happens if you don’t get airborne in time
The preferred way of communicating with ATC from a non-towered airport

Radar

How ATC can tell which target is you
Different radar equipment used by ATC and how it impacts separation
How much separation IFR and VFR aircraft need
What to do when you haven’t received missed approach instructions
The anatomy of a STARS radar display
Traffic separation for aircraft doing practice IFR approaches
Why ATC would make you last in their sequence when you are near the airport
When and why ATC issues vectors, and how much thought goes into them
What ATC expects when they ask for your “best forward speed”
Different techniques ATC uses to get you back on course
Why the MVA is such an important altitude for Controllers

Weather

How a controller’s weather display compares to your in-cockpit display
ATC’s techniques for vectoring you around weather
How ATC adapts and adjusts to rapidly moving storms
How the Controller-in-Charge (CIC) keeps things running smoothly
Why ATC sometimes tells you to wait for an obvious weather deviation
How Severe Weather Avoidance Plans can minimize disruption to traffic flows
Why you should give a PIREP and where they go
How ATC knows there’s wind shear, and when they will tell you
What ATC’s RVR reporting requirements are
The special equipment that helps ATC deal with low-visibility conditions
When ATC needs to protect the ILS critical area and precision obstacle-free zone
How ATC obtains braking reports
How ATC can help provide weather information at non-towered airports

IFR Departures and Approaches

What ATC knows about ODPs and whether you will be using them
When controllers can vector you off an ODP for more direct routing
How ATC decides which approach to say is in use on the ATIS
How ATC chooses when to vector you or issue direct-to-fix for an approach clearance
What “join the final approach course” really means
What to do if ATC left you on a heading through the final approach course or forgot to give you a clearance
What to do if you were cleared to the IAF and reach it without further instructions
What the normal intercept angles are for approaches
What you should do if ATC left you too high for the approach
How familiar ATC is with each instrument approach
Why you are responsible to ensure an approach is legal to fly
When you should fly the HILPT (course reversal) versus flying the approach straight-in
When you can safely practice instrument approaches VFR on your own
Reasons why your approach clearance would be canceled
How ASR approaches work
Why descend-via and climb-via clearances are used, and if you can refuse them
How much maneuvering is allowed once you’re cleared for a visual approach
What to do if you were cleared for a visual approach to a non-towered airport, but had to go missed

Special Requests

When student pilots should let ATC know that they’re student pilots
Special considerations controllers have for student pilots
How you should coordinate an aerial photo mission with ATC
When it’s better to call ATC on the phone
How ATC can accommodate you when doing a maintenance test flight
How you can fly into or out of an airport when your transponder, or ADS-B Out, is broken
When and how ATC can clear you through a TFR
What you can expect when there is VIP movement in the area
What special handling you can expect when you’re on a Compassion Flight
How and when Special VFR and Contact Approaches can be used

Serious Situations

When you should tell ATC something is amiss
What happens when you declare an emergency
Emergencies and the three levels of alert
Information controllers need to assist you in an emergency
How ATC can help you with a medical emergency
When ATC will declare an emergency for you
Why Guard is useful for monitoring, not meowing
What you should tell ATC when you hear an ELT
What you should do if you actually lose comms with ATC
How to report lasers or unauthorized unmanned aircraft
What to do if ATC vectors you somewhere you’re not comfortable flying
What resources ATC can tap to help you if you fly VFR into IMC
Reasons why ATC would make a solo student pilot land
How much trouble are you in if ATC gives you a phone number to call
The percentage of controllers that are pilots, and why it matters
What ATC “saves” are and how they are celebrated

Check Out Sample Pages From the Manual

Special Requests

View Sample

Radar

View Sample

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which devices does the digital manual work with?
A: The digital manual is delivered in PDF format and works on any computer or mobile device.

Q: Can I load the digital manual onto my iPad?
A: Yes, the digital PDF is formatted for use on your iPad and can be downloaded in a few easy steps.

Q: What is the format of the printed manual?
A: The printed manual is 8.5 x 11 inches and 127 pages, so it will fit in most flight bags or in the seat pocket of your airplane. It’s printed in full color on high quality, durable paper. We take the extra step of adding a spiral binder, and we top it with a clear plastic cover to protect it from weather and spills.

Q: How long does it take to receive a printed manual?
A: We use the US Postal Service to mail all USA orders and they typically arrive within 5 business days. International orders usually arrive within 10 business days (can be longer in some countries). If you order the printed manual, you’ll also get the digital version which you can download and start using right away.

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