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Air Traffic Control Towers & Centers
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Managed By: Icon Here Aviation Nav Aides
Description:
Air traffic control towers (ATCT's) are specialized observation towers where air traffic controllers communicate with any aircraft in filght or on the ground with a pilot. These towers are equipped with many different instruments for locating aircraft including radar and a visual red green beacon. Air traffic control centers (ATCC's) are specialized buildings that are located miles from airports, but easy accessible by car that communicate to the aircraft while en route to its destination.
Expanded Description:
Towers

Air traffic control towers can be over 100 feet tall and can be very artistic, like the the Sydney International Airport control tower in Australia or the Los Angeles International Airport Control tower. They are usually owned by the federal government, but some of the smaller airports are owned municipally. Most air traffic control towers look like a square tower that is usually 40-60 feet tall that is located inside an airport boundaries. Some can be many miles away from an airport and these are air traffic control centers which are used for ground to air comunication while the aircraft is in flight. They keep planes updated about their current position, in relation to other aircraft in the area. Both items are accepted in this category.

Here are some examples of some of my waymarks that have ATCT's inside the airport boundaries. A full control tower has a 360 degree view of the airport. Although a full ATCT's would be nice, it does not need to be a full one as all are accepted.

Many towers are very artistic. The Sydney International Airport is a very good example. This is one way you can waymark while you are on vacation. Other categories include "Inside Airports" and "Official Local Tourism Attractions" are great examples of the other categories you can achieve while on vacation, even this one!

Some of the larger airports have more than one control tower so each separate one will be included as an individual waymark into this category.

Centers

Now, some of the ATC centers are located outside of an airport. For example, the Los Angeles Center for air traffic control is located near Edwards Air Force Base in California. Even though there is no tower there, just a business building, it counts for being waymarked into this category because whether on an airfield or off, they both have the same basic function of getting aircraft to their destination with little problems as possible.

Air traffic control centers, although less common than the towers everyone sees in airports, are ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unlike some air traffic control tower which closes when the airport closes, centers are kept open for longer periods and never close. They are much larger than the towers as they cover a larger area than just an airport. Their area of control is usually about the size of small U.S. states put together. It is quite impressive how large the facility has jurisdiction.

Instructions for Posting a Air Traffic Control Towers & Centers Waymark:
How to get YOUR waymark approved Whoa! Hold on Speed Racer! Before you go rush and take every photo of an air traffic control tower that an airport while traveling, there are a few rules for posting that will be strictly enforced by volunteers. Before you can post a waymark in this category, please read below for how to get your waymark approved in this category. First, look for the item you are waymarking, whether that be a tower or center. It will be highlighted in blue and their are specific requirements for each different one.

Towers 1. Take at least one photo of the air traffic control tower. Also if you can, take a photo of the airport/ATCT signage. 2. Explain where the tower is located. Is it part of the airport? If so, what gate? Is it in the airport boundaries? 3. Take the GPS coordinates from where you took the photo or where the best viewing area is. 4. Use this format to name your waymark. Name of Airport/ATCT - City, State ~ Country

Instructions for Visiting a Waymark in this Category:
Take a photo of the ATCT. Type a description of what you liked and saw while here.
Category Settings:
  • Waymarks can be added to this category
  • New waymarks of this category are reviewed by the category group prior to being published
  • Category is not visible in the directory
Variables:
  • Is the ATCT located in an airport boundaries?
  • Is it a full Air Traffic Control Tower?