Northern California TRACON

Northern California TRACON (NCT) (Terminal Radar Approach Control), or NorCal TRACON for short, is an air traffic control facility that provides safety alerts, separation, and sequencing of air traffic arriving, departing, and transiting the airspace and airports in northern California. NCT controls airspace over 19000 square miles, and serves Reno, Sacramento International, San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco airports, plus 19 other airports with air traffic conltrol towers. NCT is the 4th busiest TRACON in America. NorCal TRACON is the step between local control (in an airport's control tower) and en-route control (in this case, Oakland Center (ZOA)).

Directing planes to their destinations: When an arriving aircraft nears the Bay Area, ZOA advises it to contact NorCal TRACON. TRACON gives the arrival a descent profile, ILS and other landing aid clearances. During busy times, TRACON often has to hold aircraft in the air. After TRACON gets the flight lined up for landing, the flight contacts the tower at the arrival airport for landing clearance.