ATC Tower Tour!

Haegon

Haegon

Pre-Flight
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Jun 15, 2012
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Kissimmee, FL
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Haegon
Took a tour of the Air Traffic Control Tower at the local airport (KISM) that I am doing my flight training at today. It was quite interesting to put a face to the voice that I hear all the time, and I think it will help to alleviate my shyness on the radio. The ATC guys were quite chill, explaining pretty much everything and they didn't make me feel intimidated at all.

KISM is the closest airport to Disney World, so the best part of the tour of the tower was the fact that a mickey head was on the radar signifying Disney World's TFR. :rofl:

All in all it was quite fun and surprisingly easy to get in to. All I had to do was call up the FBO I take my lessons at and they got me in the tower two days later.

Have you guys toured ATC towers? If so, how was your experience?
 
Touring the tower is an excellent idea for guys getting their PPL. I think for those getting their instrument, a tour of a approach facility is just as important.
 
Velocity173 said:
Touring the tower is an excellent idea for guys getting their PPL. I think for those getting their instrument, a tour of a approach facility is just as important.
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Not only for instrument students. Being able to tour ZAB and the Albuquerque TRACON and tower a few months ago was extremely beneficial and instructive for this lowly LSA pilot, too!

"Operation Raincheck" is one of those rare FAA programs that accomplishes exactly what both the agency and pilots want and expect it to.
 
Haegon said:
Have you guys toured ATC towers? If so, how was your experience?
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Not a real tower, but I've toured Future Flight Central, a rather detailed simulation of KLAX Tower (among several others) intended for testing prototypical strategies, hardware and software.

I have had a tour of Oakland Center (and its associated Oceanic FIR). Truly fascinating, especially how they manage traffic they can't have any radar or VHF contact with.
 
I've taken a tour of a tower and the attached tracon as well as a center facility. All great experiences and I learned a lot in the process. Everyone I met during the tours was friendly and enthusiastic about their job. I came away feeling more comfortable dealing with ATC after seeing what things look like on their end and meeting several people. I think i was a little intimidated by ATC, but after meeting a few people, you realize they really are there to help and they love aviation too.

I asked a bunch of questions which they were happy to answer. They also gave some advice specific to their airspace and procedures. The tower also encouraged me to fly into the airport frequently. I guess their budget is somehow connected to how much traffic they work. There weren't many planes flying when I was there.

I think everyone should try to take a tour. It's definitely worth it. And the view from the tower is pretty cool.
 
I've toured BWI and IAD towers, both great experiences. The first time I toured BWI, they still had the attached TRACON which was interesting, though honestly I was too young to get as much out of it as I could have. The IAD tour (and the second BWI tour I did after they had shut down the TRACON) were much more valuable in terms of my flying, and gave me a better understanding of the challenges the respective controllers had and how workflow was managed.

I'm hopeful I'll get a chance to tour Potomac Approach at some point; those are the folks I talk with the most!
 
Many tower crews are happy to let pilots up to the cab to see what goes on.

At KDTO and KAFW, just ask the ground controller if you can come up. If they say no problem , then just buzz the intercom outside the entry door to the tower, identify yourself, and they will come down and let you in.

Very enlightening to see things from their POV and how they work to keep you safe.
 
I've been in my local class-D tower a couple times.

No need to schedule through an FBI, just call the tower number and ask if it's OK to stop by for a visit.

At least at our tower it's pretty simple - they ask for your name, then tell you were to find the door, stand in front of the camera, wait for them to buzz you in, then start climbing stairs.
 
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Call them - let them know what you'd like to do, and see what they say.
 
The other way to get a "tower tour" is to to do a flub up in the pattern just enough for a chewing out, but not enough for a formal action.

Happened once to a solo student as I was taxiing back to my spot.
 
MAKG1 said:
I have had a tour of Oakland Center (and its associated Oceanic FIR). Truly fascinating, especially how they manage traffic they can't have any radar or VHF contact with.
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Can you tell me where you signed up to get a tour of ZOA?
 
MAKG I am sure they would have no problem as long as the kid(s) are with an adult. As long as the kids behave themselves I don't see why they would say no.
 
ainokea said:
Can you tell me where you signed up to get a tour of ZOA?
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Not that would work for you.

At the time, I was working on a weird-aircraft flight planner, and was seeking workload-reducing input from ZOA. This aircraft flies segments of cycloids, doesn't make wind corrections, and avoids airways. All this over the Pacific or domestic or Canadian airspace. Makes for an interesting problem for several ARTCCs and the Oceanic FIR.

Though I suspect you can look in the Fremont phone book and just call and ask. The tour they gave us (as a courtesy) did not seem like it was made up on the spot.
 
In high school I was already completely smitten with aviation. For "day on the job" day, I wrote a letter to the KBJC tower manager and got to spend an entire day up there. Was awesome.

Also got to tour the DIA tower prior to the airport opening, with a group, at night. Very cool view up there.

Need to figure out how to do a tour of the KAPA tower.
 
Hi,

We got permission to tour KSIA Tower. Class "C".

Difficult to over shoot this one.

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Entrance

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If I remember correctly, it is 14 storeys high ...

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View of our small stuff from the top .....

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Regards
John
 
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