Terminal Services

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The mission of Terminal Services Unit is to provide safe, secure and efficient air traffic management to Air Traffic Control customers operating the National Airspace System (NAS). Air traffic controllers guide aircraft in and out of airport across the country through airport towers and Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACON).

Terminal Services infrastructure consists of six directorates in FAA Headquarters: Safety and Operations Support, Program Operations, Planning, Field Support Services, Administration, Finance. In addition, three service areas provide support to the day-to-day air traffic control business and the NAS: Eastern, Central and Western Service Areas.

Operational Services

• Program Operations is responsible for the development, acquisition and deployment of Terminal’s automation, surveillance and facilities projects, as well as field operational support for fielded automation systems.
• Field Support Services consist on the staffing and training of our Air Traffic Control Specialists at the towers and TRACONs. In addition, develops the Controller Workforce Plan and works with other lines of business in developing staffing targets.
• Maintaining and planning the Systems Engineering Management Plan and architecture for current and future state is another operational service at Terminal. It includes validating business cases, conducting economic analysis and analyzing proposed engineering policies, as well as developing initial cost, schedule and performance requirements baselines.



Safety

• Safety is implemented through national policies and standards of Air Traffic Control operations, delivery and implementation of new technologies, safety risk management plans and mitigation strategies. There are seven groups: Airspace, Quality Assurance, Operations and Procedures, Requirements, Safety Engineering, Strategic Operations, and FAA Contract Tower and Weather. Together we ensure technical air traffic programs meet FAA operational and safety performance requirements.



Facilities

• Terminal Services operates 264 Air Traffic Control Towers, 162 TRACONS, 246 FAA Contract Towers and six Operations Support Facilities.