Delta Connection Academy

TRACON Tour

One of our instructors set up a tour for us at TRACON. This is the facility we talk to when we contact Air Traffic Control (ATC). As soon as we walked in we met the supervisor. Once he found out we flew Cirrus planes out of Ellington, he asked who was at Beaumont that morning asking to hold at fixes he had never heard of. Turns out he was talking to my check pilot (& former ground school instructor), Amanda, and me on my stage check. Houston TRACON is located at the George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport. We all had to be cleared through security before entering the parking lot and were given visitors badges after we signed in at the front desk. I was lucky enough to be in the first group that went back.

We started at the data position – where all the flights are typed into the program. All the necessary information is entered here for the controller which shows up on their computer screen, next to the blip representing each plane. This position also informs the controllers of any weather situations in the area. There was only one person at this position when we visited, but there can be up to three working at that desk. Next, we went to the main controller who overlooks all flights in the area. He/She is in a supervisor position, with weather and radar available to them on different computers. Each controller covers a certain area or certain types of flights. For example, when we fly out of Ellington, we talk to Houston Center on 134.45. As I fly to Beaumont, they hand me off to another controller for Beaumont’s airspace. These controllers sit right next to each other and know what’s going on before you talk to them.

The tour was very informative and they gave us some useful advice – I’m sure you’ve heard the same from your instructor in regards to talking to ATC. Keep your message short and to the point, and make sure you wait for the radio to be clear before you transmit. If you ever get the chance to visit, I’d highly recommend it.