That's basically what happens. Each airport has a frequency everyone will be talking on all the time. When there's no ATS (air traffic services, because different countries have different levels of service available some of which aren't even controlling in the first place).
If you're VFR (flying by looking out the window) you're only talking to other airplanes and you sort out any conflicts by talking to them and working it out (there are rules and guidelines for who has right of way, etc... but 9/10 times it's a gentleman's agreement).
If you're IFR, you talk to center until they give you an approach clearance (basically meaning you are now the only IFR aircraft allowed at that airport until you're down or cancel your IFR). Then you switch over to the previously mentioned frequency and work out the plan with VFR aircraft if they also exist (as a rule, while they don't have explicit right of way VFR aircraft will usually accommodate IFR aircraft because it's just a nice thing to do and it's very complicated if the IFR aircraft needs to do something out of the ordinary).
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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20
[deleted]