What is the main responsibility of the Approach Controller?

The primary responsibility of the Approach Controller is to manage air traffic in the surrounding airspace, particularly focusing on aircraft during their approach to and departure from an airport. This role involves ensuring the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the terminal airspace, which typically extends from the airport to a designated distance away, typically up to about 30 nautical miles.

The Approach Controller is tasked with providing guidance to pilots, including issuing clearances and instructions for descent, ensuring safe spacing between aircraft, and coordinating handovers to the tower controller as aircraft approach the runway for landing. This management is vital in preventing potential conflicts and ensuring a smooth transition for aircraft entering and leaving the airport environment.

While ground operations, handling emergency situations, and coordinating flights with international airspace are important aspects of aviation management, they are not the main focus of the Approach Controller's duties. Ground operations typically fall under the responsibility of Ground Control, emergency situations are handled collaboratively across different controllers, and international airspace coordination often involves en-route controllers rather than those specifically managing approach airspace.