LiveATC Discussion Forums

Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: aerosnoop on September 10, 2005, 10:54:27 PM

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: aerosnoop on September 10, 2005, 10:54:27 PM

I do a lot of listening to KBOS tower when my favorite controller comes on (John). I notice that I hear different voices that seem to be working the same tower frequency. I'll hear one voice giving a takeoff clearance, and then another voice giving a landing clearance, or handing off to depature, etc... Is this normal?

I always thought there was normlly one controller for tower. I know several large airports have multiple approach controllers for seperate areas.

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: Jason on September 10, 2005, 10:57:13 PM

Many busy towers are separated into different frequencies.  The runways that  each freq. owns is located on the airport diagram.  This is more common than people think.

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: aerosnoop on September 10, 2005, 11:03:08 PM

Thanks for clearing that up, Jason. I'm working on my commercial license and I didn't even know that  :oops:  :lol:

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: tyketto on September 11, 2005, 04:50:24 AM

Quote from: aerosnoop

Thanks for clearing that up, Jason. I'm working on my commercial license and I didn't even know that  :oops:  :lol:

Have a look at the specs for a given airport on Airnav.com. For example, if you were to plug in KLAS there, you'd find that there are three tower frequencies there: one for who handles 25L/R and 7L/R, one that handles 19L/R and 1L/R, and the third for helicopter control. Looking up KBOS there should tell you which frequencies are handling which runways.

BL.

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: digger on September 11, 2005, 11:34:47 AM

Since I found this site I haven't had time to listen to any of the feeds, so forgive me if this is a dumb question.

Is it possible that the original poster is hearing different controller's voices because the feed is running off a scanner, which is receiving the different tower frequencies, as they become active?

Title: Multiple Tower controllers?
Post by: Jonathan_tcu on September 11, 2005, 01:29:14 PM

I have noticed your postings and they appear to be the same as mine.  At our local FSS, there are usually 3 guys working day shift.  One works at the FSS counter and records the ATIS, another works on the CYMO radio and the 3rd guy handles the CYTS radio.  Sometimes, the FSS guys  work both freq's separately or both work individually on the one.  For example, one guy can clear a departure on the local 122.3, switch to CZYZ center on 128.3 on departure, switch to the other CZYZ center on 133.72 while flying northbound and then call the same FSS departure center on the remote freq 122.5 for the arrival to CYMO  Either the same guy who cleared the flight on 122.3 will handle the aircraft's arrival on the remote freq or his partner will.  It's all in the matter of the freq sel switch on the radio console.