Chicago Center ZAU
Chicago Center (ZAU) is the FAA air route traffic control center (ARTCC) that handles en route traffic in its airspace. Public NASR records list 43 remote radio sites (RCAG) that let its controllers talk to aircraft, in IA, IL, IN, MI, WI, and 28 airports where the center itself is the published approach control.
Remote radio sites (43)
Frequencies as published, with the altitude stratum the FAA lists for each (low, high or ultra-high). The emergency frequencies 121.5 and 243.0 are left out.
| Site | State | Frequencies |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington | IA | 135.6 (low), 370.95 (low) |
| Cedar Rapids | IA | 132.8 (low), 135.975 (ultra-high), 328.4 (low), 377.075 (ultra-high) |
| Des Moines | IA | 127.05 (low), 282.35 (low) |
| Dubuque | IA | 125.225 (high), 127.775 (high), 132.625 (ultra-high), 133.95 (low), 263.1 (high), 281.4 (low), 327.15 (high), 350.25 (ultra-high) |
| Ottumwa | IA | 118.15 (low), 335.575 (low) |
| Washington | IA | 125.575 (high), 128.525 (high), 134.325 (high), 236.775 (ultra-high), 257.725 (high), 319.2 (high) |
| Bloomington | IL | 124.8 (ultra-high), 353.775 (ultra-high) |
| Bradford | IL | 124.55 (low), 125.625 (high), 132.225 (high), 281.525 (high), 307.125 (low), 323.225 (high) |
| Chicago Heights | IL | 132.95 (low), 318.8 (low) |
| Danville | IL | 135.75 (low), 353.95 (low) |
| Des Plaines | IL | 120.35 (low), 128.65 (low), 133.625 (low), 317.4 (low), 363.125 (low) |
| Downers Grove | IL | 279.525 (high) |
| Freeport | IL | |
| Hampshire | IL | 134.2 (low), 291.75 (low) |
| Joliet | IL | 135.15 (low), 323.3 (low) |
| Kankakee | IL | 118.225 (high), 120.125 (low), 132.5 (low), 256.8 (low), 284.7 (low), 353.55 (high) |
| Leroy | IL | 119.225 (low), 307.25 (low) |
| Maple Park | IL | 134.825 (low), 307.275 (low) |
| Marengo | IL | 133.35 (low), 335.8 (low) |
| Mazon | IL | 123.75 (low), 259.1 (low) |
| Milford | IL | 121.275 (high), 127.325 (ultra-high), 327.025 (ultra-high), 351.95 (high) |
| Moline | IL | 118.75 (low), 377.05 (low) |
| Monee | IL | 126.275 (ultra-high), 360.75 (ultra-high) |
| Pontiac | IL | 119.95 (low), 353.7 (low) |
| Roberts | IL | 134.025 (ultra-high), 379.15 (ultra-high) |
| Rockford | IL | 124.725 (high) |
| Waukegan | IL | 126.425 (low), 348.725 (low) |
| Crown Point | IN | 134.875 (low), 290.25 (low) |
| Fort Wayne | IN | 119.85 (low), 126.325 (high), 307.375 (low), 323.05 (high) |
| Goshen | IN | 127.55 (low), 135.9 (low), 307.175 (low), 314.0 (low) |
| Lafayette | IN | 123.85 (low) |
| Rossville | IN | 120.975 (low), 125.375 (high), 341.7 (high), 350.35 (low/high), 370.85 (low) |
| Grand Rapids | MI | 126.125 (high), 128.4 (low), 257.6 (low), 319.1 (high) |
| Jones | MI | 120.225 (high), 125.975 (high), 126.475 (high), 127.625 (high), 269.35 (high), 273.6 (high), 317.575 (ultra-high), 353.625 (high) |
| Muskegon | MI | 132.275 (high), 254.35 (high) |
| Niles | MI | 124.825 (ultra-high), 322.525 (ultra-high) |
| Pullman | MI | 128.5 (low), 133.2 (low), 273.525 (low/high), 343.675 (low) |
| South Bend | MI | |
| Camp Douglas | WI | 125.05 (low), 269.375 (low) |
| Horicon | WI | 121.375 (ultra-high), 126.875 (high), 135.55 (low), 269.075 (high), 282.275 (ultra-high), 306.975 (low) |
| Lone Rock | WI | 133.3 (low), 257.925 (low) |
| Milwaukee | WI | 123.825 (low), 125.1 (low), 279.525 (high), 290.475 (low) |
| Oshkosh | WI | 132.1 (low), 319.25 (low) |
Airports where Chicago Center provides approach service (28)
Pay level
The FAA rates this facility level 12 on its scale of 4 to 12. Busier, more complex facilities get higher levels, and higher levels pay more. A fully certified controller at a level 12 facility was paid between $130,212 and $175,785 a year in 2025, before the local cost-of-living addition. Overtime, night and Sunday pay come on top.
Level: National Academies (2025), The Air Traffic Controller Workforce Imperative, Appendix C, Table C-1, which reproduces FAA data with staffing as of September 23, 2023; the FAA may have changed the level since. Pay range: FAA pay band table effective January 12, 2025, as posted by NATCA.
Source
FAA National Airspace System Resource (NASR) data, 28-day cycle effective 2026-10-01 (FAA NASR subscription). Facility data changes every 28 days; check current FAA publications before flight.
Public records, summarized in plain language. Not for navigation or operational use. Privacy: no cookies, no tracking.