Up/Down, Tracon, Tower...Differences?

PropDriver

PropDriver

Well-Known Member
I'm a pilot and I know the differences between a Tracon and a Tower but what is an Up/Down facility? Is it a facility that combines the Tower and Tracon and you work in both?

I tried searching but haven't found any answers.
 
PropDriver said:
I'm a pilot and I know the differences between a Tracon and a Tower but what is an Up/Down facility? Is it a facility that combines the Tower and Tracon and you work in both?

I tried searching but haven't found any answers.
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You nailed it on the head. Up/Down is a combined Tower and TRACON facility. Working in both is common, but it may not be so in the future -- Orlando recently was split, and there may be more to come.

I don't know if it's done the same everywhere, but the way they do it here in Austin (and many other places) is that a controller will check out on the tower positions first and then train for the radar spots. Then you'll rotate between the two locations.
 
So in a place like Denver where they're separate, you would either work in the tower or tracon but not both?

Are they located in different buildings?
 
PropDriver said:
So in a place like Denver where they're separate, you would either work in the tower or tracon but not both?

Are they located in different buildings?
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People are getting sent to EITHER tower or TRACON, but not both at the moment. One guy in my basics class is going to Denver Tower.

There are others here for TRACON that are going to the TRACON.

In some facilities (like mine) you get the best of both worlds. In others (MEM, MCO, DEN) you get one or the other.
 
jeffm1999 said:
Yes, Denver Tower and Denver TRACON are in separate buildings. You would be assigned to one or the other.
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Quite a ways from each other, in Denver's case. Some places, like Houston or New York (LGA), will have TRACON right there on their property. Others, it may be a ways away.
 
LGA's (along with the other NYC/north jersey airports) approach control is handled by N90 which is located in Westbury on Long Island
 
Rosstafari said:
You nailed it on the head. Up/Down is a combined Tower and TRACON facility. Working in both is common, but it may not be so in the future -- Orlando recently was split, and there may be more to come.

I don't know if it's done the same everywhere, but the way they do it here in Austin (and many other places) is that a controller will check out on the tower positions first and then train for the radar spots. Then you'll rotate between the two locations.
Click to expand...

That was a very favorable split for the controllers.
 
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