Definition
A historical term that referred to the airspace within a 5-statute-mile radius of an airport with an operating control tower, extending from the surface up to but not including 3,000 feet above the airport elevation. Within this airspace, all aircraft were required to establish two-way radio communication with the tower and comply with its instructions. The term was retired in 1993 when the FAA adopted the alphabetical airspace classification system; the airspace formerly known as the airport traffic area is now generally Class D airspace (or the surface area of Class B or Class C where applicable).
Plain English
An older name for the controlled airspace right around a tower-controlled airport. Pilots had to talk to the tower before entering it. Today the same airspace is called Class D (or part of Class B or C).
Context Anchor
Seen in airport safety and collision-avoidance discussions, especially when talking about traffic near runways and around the airport.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must establish two-way radio contact with the tower before entering to maintain separation from other aircraft.
Intuition Check
Do not read “airport traffic area” as the airport building, ramp, or parking area. It means the airspace around the airport where aircraft traffic is moving.
Example Sentence 1
The older textbook referred to the airport traffic area, but on today's sectional chart that same airspace is shown as Class D.
Example Sentence 2
Even in good weather, the student pilot remembered to check the chart for the airport traffic area boundaries.