Book Review: "The Pilot's Air Traffic Control Handbook"

Picked this book up from the library, figuring it would be good to learn something new while the flying weather is not cooperating. I am very glad I did, as it was not at all what I was expecting based on the title alone. This is the 3rd edition of this book, published in 1999. Any fears of the info contained in the pages not being current are quickly squashed when you realize the scope and purpose of this book. I was surprised to find out that this is not a say this when in this situation type of book (in the vein of "Say Again, Please" which has it's own advantages), but rather its a more holistic view of the air traffic control system and how we as pilots fit in.

The author begins by taking the reader through the parallels of the history of flight in the United States, and how the needs of aviation were met by ATC as it grew into the transportation segment it is today. You will learn where the first control tower was constructed, what an A-N beacon was and how it worked, and the fact that the first "blind landing" by a commercial flight was performed back in 1938.

The rest of the book goes through each facility that a GA pilot can possibly interact with on a flight and gives a "behind the scenes" look. How many people work at a Center facility? The process of becoming a specialist, where people sit, and how your flight strip is generated and moves through the system. Some of the most informative bits resulted from the author asking controllers at the different facilities (APP, TWR, CTR etc) to give advice to the VFR GA pilot.

I came away from this book with new knowledge about the inner workings of the ATC system, how to use it, and how each piece of the puzzle is used to create a complete picture of the weather, traffic flow, emergency situations, etc.

The book was published in 1999 and so it has missed some of the more recent changes like, FSS privatization and consolidation, the Washington D.C. ADIZ, and things like ADS-B. What is great about the book is that once you read it, all the things that have happened since the book's publication have context which allows you to add on new information to your understanding of an issue.

I would certainly recommend this book to other pilot's (or those aspiring to be) as it has given me a better understanding of the wide angle view of air traffic control, and a bit more understanding of the folks we talk to on the radio.