ground control

American  

noun

1. an airport facility that supervises the movement of aircraft and ground vehicles on ramps and taxiways.

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ground control British  

noun

1. the personnel, radar, computers, etc, on the ground that monitor the progress of aircraft or spacecraft

2. a system for feeding continuous radio messages to an aircraft pilot to enable him to make a blind landing

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Other Word Forms

• ground controller
  noun

Etymology

Origin of ground control

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

According to recordings of the conversation between the pilot and the tower reviewed by The Times, the pilot tells ground control that it happened on the “base leg” of the flight.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026

The U.S. shot down three of the drones and conducted what they said were “self-defense strikes” on Iranian military ground control stations on Qeshm Island.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

The excitement at ground control was palpable, Gibbons said, adding that it was a "special" moment filled with tears, hugs and laughter.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

All the voices, from ground control to awe-struck passengers, were female.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2025

It instantly began broadcasting conversations between ground control and the B-29 observation planes.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik