The Three Service Types: A Practical Summary

Controlled Aerodrome (Tower):

Station suffix: Tower
Service type: ATC (Air Traffic Control)
Provides: Clearances separation, traffic information
Your obligation: Obey all instructions
Example callsign "Linz Tower"
Initial call includes: Own callsign, position, type of flight, request

AFIS Aerodrome (Information):

Station suffix: Information, Radio, or sometimes no suffix (depends on the country)
Service type: AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service
Provides: Wind, runway, weather, other traffic information
Your obligation: Listen, decide, announce intentions
Example callsign "Wels Radio" or "Salzburg Information"
No clearances issued; no mandatory instructions

Unattended Aerodrome:

No ground station
Service type: None (self-announce only)
Provides: Nothing; you broadcast blind
Your obligation: Broadcast your position and intentions; listen for other traffic
Example: "Feldkirchen Traffic, D-EHGH, three miles final runway 27, Feldkirchen"
No one is required to answer

In this lection, we focus on AFIS operations (the most common scenario) and then address unattended fields.