9/5/24 

Pilot/Controller Glossary 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM COMMAND CENTER (ATCSCC)

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 An Air Traffic Tactical Operations 

facility responsible for monitoring and managing the flow of air traffic throughout the NAS, producing a safe, 

orderly, and expeditious flow of traffic while minimizing delays. The following functions are located at the 

ATCSCC: 

a. 

Central Altitude Reservation Function (CARF). Responsible for coordinating, planning, and approving 

special user requirements under the Altitude Reservation (ALTRV) concept. 

(See ALTITUDE RESERVATION.) 

b. 

Airport Reservation Office (ARO). Monitors the operation and allocation of reservations for unscheduled 

operations at airports designated by the Administrator as High Density Airports. These airports are generally 

known as slot controlled airports. The ARO allocates reservations on a first come, first served basis determined 

by the time the request is received at the ARO. 

(Refer to 14 CFR Part 93.) 
(See CHART SUPPLEMENT.) 

c. 

U.S. Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) Office. Responsible for collecting, maintaining, and distributing 

NOTAMs for the U.S. civilian and military, as well as international aviation communities. 

(See NOTICE TO AIR MISSIONS.) 

d. 

Weather Unit. Monitor all aspects of weather for the U.S. that might affect aviation including cloud cover, 

visibility, winds, precipitation, thunderstorms, icing, turbulence, and more. Provide forecasts based on 

observations and on discussions with meteorologists from various National Weather Service offices, FAA 

facilities, airlines, and private weather services. 

e. 

Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Space Operations and Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS); the Office of 

Primary Responsibility (OPR) for all space and upper class E tactical operations in the National Airspace System 

(NAS). 
AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE

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 A generic term meaning: 

a. 

Flight Information Service. 

b. 

Alerting Service. 

c. 

Air Traffic Advisory Service. 

d. 

Air Traffic Control Service: 

1. 

Area Control Service, 

2. 

Approach Control Service, or 

3. 

Airport Control Service. 

AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION (ATO) 

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 The FAA line of business responsible for providing safe and efficient 

air navigation services in the national airspace system. 
AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE (ATS) ROUTES 

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The term “ATS Route” is a generic term that includes “VOR 

Federal airways,” “colored Federal airways,” “jet routes,” and “RNAV routes.” The term “ATS route” does not 

replace these more familiar route names, but serves only as an overall title when listing the types of routes that 

comprise the United States route structure. 
AIRBORNE

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 An aircraft is considered airborne when all parts of the aircraft are off the ground. 

AIRBORNE DELAY

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 Amount of delay to be encountered in airborne holding. 

AIRBORNE REROUTE (ABRR)

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A capability within the Traffic Flow Management System used for the 

timely development and implementation of tactical reroutes for airborne aircraft. This capability defines a set 

of aircraft

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specific reroutes that address a certain traffic flow problem and then electronically transmits them 

to En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) for execution by the appropriate sector controllers. 
AIRCRAFT

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Device(s) that are used or intended to be used for flight in the air, and when used in air traffic 

control terminology, may include the flight crew. 

(See ICAO term AIRCRAFT.) 

PCG A

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