Jethead Live: Inside Los Angeles Air Traffic Control.
The air traffic controllers working the airspace around Los Angeles have their hands full with an incredible volume of diverse air traffic. How do they sort it out?
Here’s Air Traffic Controller Pat Keane from Los Angeles Approach Control with an inside look:
To download, click here.
The JetHead Blog 
August 9, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Reblogged this on aviation12.
August 10, 2012 at 7:59 am
Just FYI, the download link doesn’t work. It has a ] at the end. (The file downloads fine without it.)
August 10, 2012 at 8:02 am
Good catch, thanks. It’s fixed now . . .
August 10, 2012 at 8:30 am
An excellent insight into ATC ops over there in SoCal and LA in particular. It’s fascinating to hear how ATC manage to juggle that variety of traffic and the challenges faced using a combination of high tec and the good old mark 1 eyeball! I liked Pat’s comment about enjoying tower work because he loved to watch planes all day long – how good is that!
Happy flying Captain!
August 10, 2012 at 2:50 pm
This was a great episode! I had to laugh because I’d just watched “Summer Rental” last night, where John Candy plays a beleaguered Atlanta Center ATC controller; then, this morning, your podcast was waiting on the topic of ATC!
These guys are great! I remember watching arrivals at LGA; the airspace was so dense and I was wondering just how they keep all of the aircraft so perfectly synergized! Thanks for the insights, Captain!
Clear skies to you!
August 10, 2012 at 7:21 pm
I enjoyed this! i lived in LA for 23 years, so I flew in and out of LAX a lot. Weather comment–yes, it’s “sunny Southern California”, but with LAX right on the beach, isn’t the morning and evening low clouds and fog an issue? When the Catalina Eddy gets cranking, you can have low vis at LAX most of the day.
August 21, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Chris, I am a producer at NFL Network and we’d like to do a feature on the similarity between ATCers like Pat Keane and NFL offensive coordinators … How can I get in touch with Pat and/or someone who might allow us to shoot inside an ATC center, etc. Thanks. Great blog & podcasts. — Mike
August 21, 2012 at 5:10 pm
I’ll get in touch with Pat and send him your email address.
August 22, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Thanks Chris.
August 25, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Good explanation.