What is the primary responsibility of ground control at an airport?

The primary responsibility of ground control at an airport is to manage the movement of aircraft on the taxiways and ensure their safe transit to and from the runway. This role involves directing aircraft as they taxi to the departure runway or back to the gate after landing. Ground control communicates with pilots to provide instructions and coordinates with other air traffic control sectors to make sure that all movements on the ground happen safely and efficiently, ultimately handing off control to the tower once the aircraft is cleared for takeoff or is about to land.

In this context, while controlling aircraft during takeoff is an important function, it is actually the responsibility of the tower control rather than ground control. Providing weather information is typically the role of a separate meteorological service, not ground control. Managing the ramp area is also critical, but it is usually overseen by other airport operations staff and is not the main function of ground control, which specifically focuses on taxiway traffic management.