Definition

Noun: A tall structure at an airport, typically with a glass-enclosed upper level, from which air traffic controllers direct the movement of aircraft on the ground and in the airspace immediately around the airport.

Usage

The term "control tower" refers specifically to the physical building and the operational center it houses. It is used to describe the facility responsible for managing airport traffic. - The pilot received landing clearance from the control tower. - All takeoffs must be authorized by the control tower. - The new airport features a state-of-the-art control tower.

Advanced Usage

• "to be in the control tower": To be working as or present with the air traffic controllers.
  • During the emergency, the experienced manager was in the control tower to assist.

Variants and Related Words

• Tower (n): A common shortened, informal form of "control tower" in aviation contexts.
  • "Boston Tower, this is Flight 123 requesting permission for takeoff."
• Air Traffic Control (ATC) (n): The service provided by controllers working in the control tower and other facilities, not the tower itself.
• Approach Control (n): A separate air traffic control facility that handles aircraft arriving to and departing from the airport's immediate airspace.

Synonyms

• Air traffic control tower: The full, formal name.
• ATC tower: A common abbreviated synonym.

Related Phrases

• Clearance from the tower: Official authorization from air traffic control to perform a specific action.
  • The plane is waiting for clearance from the tower to push back from the gate.

Noun

1. a tower with an elevated workspace enclosed in glass for the visual observation of aircraft around an airport