Air Traffic Control

The job of Air Traffic Control is to keep aircraft away from each other

In the same way that there are myths about flying, there are also myths about ATC. The biggest one is that they can talk aircraft down to a safe landing. That is not the role or responsibility of ATC. The captain of the plane is responsible for the flight but has to obey ATC instructions if his/her plane is operating under those rules. A controller  instructs a pilot to fly at a certain height or speed and direction but it is up to the pilot to do it.

 

However the captain is required by law to follow those directions unless doing so would put the plane, passengers and crew at risk.  It is important to know this because it fits in with all the other myths about what ATC can and cannot do.  ATC just issue instructions to keep aircraft away from each other while they are travelling between airports. That is the 'control' part of their name. They do not 'control' the plane itself. They are unable to talk planes down. - See more...