id: air-traffic-control title: Air Traffic Control meta: Learn how to start an Air Traffic Control session on Infinite Flight. order: 5 #

Air Traffic Control #

Air Traffic Control

  1. Pick your frequencies using the Station Selection button

  2. There are various servers for different experiences, select the Server button to pick the best fit for you (note that the Expert Server has restricted access for controlling)

  3. The Airspace Status table helps show you how many aircraft are inbound to a particular airport and if it has active ATC. You can tap the refresh button to make sure it’s up to date before you decide where to control

  4. Ready to go control? Tap on the Control button to begin

Station Selection #

Selecting frequencies is very similar to selecting an airport and parking position if you were about to fly. The globe is displayed in the same way, and you can either use the features below to choose where to begin, or zoom in with your fingers!

Station Selection

  1. The search function allows you to find the airport you want with ease. If you know the ICAO four letter code (e.g. KSFO for San Francisco Intl.) then you can type some or all of this, and a list of options will appear. Alternatively, just type in some or all of the city/airport name

  2. Blue dots signify airports that have a tower facility (although it may not necessarily have active ATC). We also use a variety of colors to give you an idea of what the weather is like. Check out the table below:

    Indication Meaning
    Visual Flight Rules
    Marginal Visual Flight Rules
    Instrument Flight Rules

  3. Magenta dots signify uncontrolled airports. The same colors as the blue dots are used to show weather. Check out the table above

  4. Zoomed in too much? No problem, just tap “Reset Zoom” if you want to zoom out again

  5. Runway color codes help you know where the wind is coming from. However, as the controller you’ll need to pick the runways taking into account the airport taxiway layout, where traffic currently is located, what the weather is like now, and what the weather is forecast to become. Check out the table below:

    Indication Meaning
    Headwind above 3kts (or wind from any direction when under 3kts) - runway recommended
    Crosswind above 3kts
    Tailwind above 3kts - runway not recommended

    Tip

    : Aircraft like to take-off and land into wind, try to pick the runways with a headwind if you can!

  6. You can select one or more frequencies to control, and dependent on the server, controller qualifications might affect what you can control too

Server #

The various live servers available to use are displayed here. Each server has its own set of rules and minimum grade requirements, make sure to check these before trying to join!

Online Servers

Server Description Minimum Grade
Casual This server may be accessed by all grades. ATC is not available and pilots may fly freely without affecting their stats or grade. All users should still be respectful and courteous to other pilots N/A
Expert This is a server where published rules must be adhered to. All procedures are strictly enforced by ATC. Infractions may result in issued Violations 3*
IFATC** This server is reserved for IFATC training, approach tests and tutorial filming. All controlling and flying outside of this shall remain on the Expert Server, misuse can result in suspension N/A
Training This server is used to practice pilot and ATC skills. All ATC facilities (except ATIS) can be accessed and procedures are enforced by Violations 2

*In addition to the minimum grade requirement, the number of total Level 1 Violations must be at least 50% less than the number of total landings and pilots may not have 5 or more Level 2 or 3 Violations in the last 365 days

**Not available unless a member of IFATC