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
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Federal officials have been raising concerns about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls between planes at U.S. airports. Kathryn Krupnik, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2025 The big picture: In the wake of January's disaster, President Trump called for sweeping air traffic control overhauls, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy welcomed Elon Musk's DOGE team to take a look under the hood. Andrew Keatts, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025 Investigators said Friday that the Army helicopter crew involved in the midair collision with an American Airlines jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport may not have heard air traffic control instructions to pass behind the plane. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 In fact, researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah believe it can be done using an ad-hoc air traffic control setup for drones at a cost of just a few hundred dollars. New Atlas, 12 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for air traffic control 

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air traffic control was in 1919

Dictionary Entries Near 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 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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