[Scan-DC] RE: variety of questions

[Thomas Philip Clouse]

2) ARTCC is the air route traffic control center, handling en-route aircraft
flying under instrument rules.

3) ATIS is the automatic terminal information service and has recorded,
standardized information that pilots listen to before contacting
controllers.  AWOS is the same kinda thing for weather, plus or minus.  For
more info on ATIS, try: http://www.awp.faa.gov/fsdo/art_atis.htm .  FYI,
when you hear pilots contacting ATC or tower saying " . . . with information
delta (or other letter) . . . " they are refering to info from ATIS

4) Unicom is an uncontrolled (e.g., non-tower airfield) radio zone.  Pilots
make announcements about position and intentions to the other pilots on the
frequency without going through an air traffic controller.

5) Metro Traffic Control are, I believe,  the folks who provide traffic info
to radio and TV stations.  I don't know about the frequency, but I always
hear the traffic reporters talking about information from metro traffic
control.