Plain English Meaning

An airport with no controller telling aircraft where to go. Pilots coordinate with each other by radio and by looking outside, following standard procedures for arriving, departing, and using the runway.

Full Definition

An airport that does not have an operating air traffic control tower. Pilots operating at a non-towered airport are responsible for sequencing themselves into and out of the traffic pattern, announcing their position and intentions on a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), and visually maintaining separation from other aircraft.

Context Anchor

Pilots encounter this term when planning arrivals, departures, traffic patterns, radio calls, and operations at airports without an active .