Airport Traffic Flow

In the picture

1. 1Control tower: glass cabin with a wide view over runways and taxiways
2. 2Radar screen: glowing display showing aircraft positions and paths
3. 3Runway centerline: marked strip where takeoff and landing order is set
4. 4Transparent frame around climbing aircraft: a layer showing a different height
5. 5Cockpit screen: instrument display that warns of nearby aircraft

Examples

• At a busy airport, one plane waits while another lands, then the waiting plane is cleared for takeoff.
• A cockpit alert sounds when two planes get too close in the air.

Quiz: Airport Traffic Flow (Age 13)

1. 1

   What do air traffic controllers decide?

   • Which passengers board the aircraft first
   • The order in which aircraft take off and land
   • How much cargo each aircraft carries
2. 2

   How do air traffic controllers keep aircraft safely apart?

   • By spacing them in distance and altitude
   • By letting pilots choose their own routes without instructions
   • By keeping all aircraft on the same path
3. 3

   What do onboard collision systems do if separation is lost?

   • They act as a backup
   • They decide the takeoff order
   • They show the view from the control tower

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.