Control Tower Tips

What the Tower Controls:  The control tower regulates aircraft which are on the runways, or in the air in the immediate vicinity of the airport. If you're at the airport and can actually see the plane, it's very likely tuned in to the Control Tower.

How to Find the Tower Frequency:  You can find the tower frequencies (both civilian and military) on any NOAA aeronautical chart or approach plate on which the airport appears. Civilian frequencies appear on Jeppeson charts, and in NOAA publications like the Airport/Facility Directory.

But what if you're at a new airport, and have nothing with frequency data? Well, you might have to search for it on your scanner. You don't have to search the entire range. First, remember that 108-117.975 are devoted to navigation aids, so there's no need to look there. The range of 122.000-123.600 is generally occupied by Flight Service Stations, Unicom, Multicom, Flight Test, and other special use frequencies. This makes it an unlikely range for the tower. The range of 128.825-132.000 is taken up with airline communications, so don't worry about that, either. This leaves the ranges of 118.000-121.975 (most likely), 123.625-128.800 (next most likely) and 132.025-136.975 (third most likely). Search those ranges in this order, and you should hit paydirt.

If the airport also has a ground control frequency, seek out that frequency (which is easier to find) and wait until the ground controller advises a departing aircraft of the tower frequency.

Military Frequencies at Civilian Airports: Most civilian airports use 257.800 for the tower and 348.600 for ground control. These are simulcast with the civilian frequencies. If you have a scanner with the 225-400 MHz band, try these frequencies and listen for mention of the civilian frequencies as the aircraft are handed off.

Part Time Control Towers: Some control towers only operate during the busiest hours of the day. In most cases, the tower frequency will be used as the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), during the tower's off hours and aircraft will treat it as an uncontrolled airport.

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