Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)

The ATIS Report

Niagara District Airport Tower

ATIS = Automatic Terminal Information Service

Lizzy needs to know several important things before she takes Vyctor up into the sky.  

She needs to know:

🌦The current weather conditions  - windspeed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure and if the ceiling (cloud cover) allows for proper visibility

 🛫The recommended runway for her to take-off 

✈️Whether or not there is any other air traffic nearby

Lizzy radios the tower to find out the information she needs to know before flying.  The tower is located at the airport and an air traffic controller tells Lizzy whether or not it's safe to fly.  

Lizzy uses Vyctor's radio (not her cell phone) to communicate with the tower.  The communication goes both ways, so Lizzy can be the one to radio the tower of the tower radios her.  

The tower will let Lizzy know the visibility and whether or not it's safe to fly.  This is based on many things, like wind speed, but also the CAVOK.  
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CAVOK = ceiling and visibility okay

This just lets Lizzy know that the clouds aren't too low since a low ceiling makes it difficult to see during take-off and landing.  
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Are you ready to hear what Lizzy hears? 

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Lizzy Listens

Listen to Lizzy as she radios the tower to get the ATIS report.

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Communication Breakdown

Let's review what some of this means in a bit more detail.