Definition
A dedicated long-distance voice and data network operated by the U.S. federal government for official communications between federal agencies, including the FAA. It provides secure, reliable telephone and data links used for coordination among air traffic control facilities, flight service stations, and other government offices.
Plain English
A government-only phone and data network that federal agencies, including the FAA, use to talk to each other for official business.
Context Anchor
You may see FTS in FAA acronym lists, older aviation references, or notices that describe how official government aviation information is communicated.
Derivation
Federal means related to the national government. Telecommunications combines tele, meaning distant, with communications, meaning the sharing of information. Together, the phrase points to a national government system for sending information over distance.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots don't use FTS directly, but it's the backbone behind much of the coordination between FAA facilities — flight plans, weather data, and traffic handoffs often move across it.
Intuition Check
FTS is not an aircraft system and not a flight training term here. In this context, it means a federal government communication system.
Example Sentence 1
The briefer mentioned that the outage on the FTS line had delayed coordination between the tower and the center.
Example Sentence 2
FAA facilities rely on the FTS for secure links with other government agencies during coordination efforts.