ATC Radar Simulator — Free Air Traffic Control Approach Radar Game

Take the approach controller's seat. Vector arrivals, departures and overflights around a real terminal area, line them up for the ILS, keep them safely separated and hand them on to the tower — all on a realistic radar scope, free in your browser.

Start Radar Simulator

About the ATC Radar Simulator

ATC Radar Simulator puts you in charge of an approach (APP) radar position. You work real arriving and departing traffic around a terminal area — turning aircraft with radar headings, climbing and descending them, controlling speed, sequencing them onto the ILS and keeping every flight safely separated. It runs entirely in your browser with a realistic radar display, flight progress strips, weather, conflict alerting (STCA) and live R/T radio audio using authentic ATC phraseology.

How to play

  1. Click Start Radar Simulator, then choose an airport and how many arrivals, departures and overflights you want.
  2. Double-click an aircraft's data block to assume it — you'll hear "radar contact" on the R/T.
  3. Give headings, climb or descend to a level, and set speed from the control panel or the flight strip.
  4. Turn arrivals onto final, clear them for the ILS, and keep at least 3 NM / 1,000 ft between aircraft.
  5. Send departures on their SID and climb them out of the terminal area.
  6. Hand traffic off to the tower or the next sector when it leaves your airspace.

What is approach control?

  • Approach (APP) control works the climbing and descending phases inside the terminal area (TMA/CTA), between the en-route area control centre (ACC) and the aerodrome tower.
  • Controllers use radar vectoring — headings, levels and speeds — to build an orderly, safely-spaced stream of traffic toward the runway.
  • Typical radar separation is 3 NM laterally (often 5 NM en-route) and 1,000 ft vertically.
  • The ILS gives pilots lateral guidance (localizer) and a descent path (glideslope) to the runway.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ATC Radar Simulator free?

Yes — it's completely free to play in your web browser, with no download, installation or sign-up.

What is approach (APP) control?

The radar unit that sequences and separates arriving and departing aircraft within a terminal area, between the area control centre and the tower.

Is this a realistic ATC trainer?

It models real procedures — radar vectoring, ILS approaches, SIDs and STARs, holdings, separation/STCA and standard R/T — using real airport data.

Which airports can I control?

Real airports such as Alexandria / Borg El Arab (HEAX) are included, and more can be added from simple data files.