Plain English Meaning
An airport with no control tower telling pilots what to do. Pilots talk to each other on a shared radio frequency and work out the order of takeoffs and landings themselves.
Full Definition
Describes an airport that does not have an operating air traffic control tower. Pilots operating at a nontowered airport are responsible for sequencing themselves, announcing their position and intentions on a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), and following recommended traffic pattern procedures without ATC clearances or instructions.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport-type discussions, , and traffic pattern procedures for airports without an .