You're in the control tower at Heathrow and it's your job to control up to 79 aircraft taking off, landing, or just passing through. Very addictive - highly frustrating.

Area Radar Controller starts by asking you how many aircraft you want to handle. The fewer aircraft you choose, the easier it is. Conversely, if you do all 79, you should be a real Area Radar Controller. For your first game, try 10 aircraft, and increase the number as you get better.

Type in the number of aircraft you wish to handle and your radar area will be displayed with your first aircraft.

On your radar display, there are a number of different items:

There are 2 airfields, one indicated by parallel runways || and the other by 3 crossing runways. Aircraft taking off from the parallel runways will initially head North; aircraft landing at the parallel runways must also be heading North (aim the aircraft between the parallel runways).

Aircraft taking off from the crossing runways will initially head North East; aircraft landing at the crossing runways must also be heading North East (aim the aircraft at the gap between the North/South runway and the NE/SE runway). Aircraft landing at either runway must be at Flight Level 1.

The two beacons are to help you line up properly before landing at either airfield. The southernmost beacon is directly South of the parallel runway; the other beacon is directly SW of the crossing runway.

There are nine numbered lane exits/entrances around the edge of your display. All aircraft entering your area will come from one of these entrances, of from an airfield. All aircraft leaving the display must leave at their destination exit or airfield, otherwise you will lose the game. Aircraft leaving at an exit must be at Flight Level 6.

There may be up to 16 aircraft on the display at one time. Each aircraft is represented by a small dot (magenta for slow, light aircraft - orange for fast, jet aircraft). Each aircraft has a call sign represented by a letter.

Additionally, next to the call sign, a number represents the Flight Level of the aircraft. (An aircraft with Flight Level 3 is flying at 3000ft).

The timer records the duration of the game.

The counter records the number of aircraft you have safely handled.

To direct the aircraft safely through your area you must address them in a simple code. When you press the keys on your Dragon, the corresponding letter or number will appear on the bottom left hand side of the screen. If you type in a wrong letter or an impossible command, you will hear a low pitched tone. You have three different ways of instructing aircraft:

To find out the current status of an aircraft, type in the aircraft call sign (a single letter) followed by ENTER. Assuming you choose an aircraft on the display at the time, the bottom line of your screen will now display the status of the aircraft. For example:

The above example means that aircraft A is currently heading North East, but is turning right until it heads towards the West. Its destination is exit number 7 and it has 62 units of fuel remaining.

All directions in this game are expressed in compass points.

With the above information, you now know that you have to direct the aircraft with callsign A to leave the display at exit number 7. Remember that when leaving at an exit the aircraft must be at Flight Level 6.

To instruct an aircraft to change height, first type in the callsign (a single letter), then the letter H, then the new height you wish it to go to, then ENTER. For example:

BH5 (ENTER) instructs aircraft B to go to new Flight Level of 5.

To instruct an aircraft to change direction, first type in the call sign (a single letter), then either L (to turn left), or R (to turn right), then the new direction (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, N, NW) or C (for continuous circling). For example:

DLNW (ENTER) instructs aircraft D to turn left for a new heading of NW.

ARC (ENTER) instructs aircraft A to circle right until otherwise instructed.

Remember, an aircraft at Flight Level 1 will ignore all instructions to turn.

In addition to the above instructions there are three other keys available:

This speeds up the timeflow. Use it when you are waiting for aircraft to move.

If you want to change something already typed on the bottom line, pressing Cursor Left will erase the letters.

At the end of the game, this key will start a new game.

If you hear a low-pitched tone, you are trying to press an illegal key, or trying to action an illegal instruction.

To win the game you must handle all your aircraft safely. If you make a mistake then one of the following messages will indicate the reason why:

Two aircraft came too close together at the same height.

An aircraft has tried to leave the display at the wrong place or the wrong height.

An aircraft has run out of fuel.

CLOAD (ENTER)
RUN (ENTER)