- The Airspace System is a vast network of people and equipment that ensures the safe operation of commercial and private aircraft.
- Air traffic controllers work within the airspace system to coordinate the movement of air traffic to make certain that planes stay a safe distance apart.
- Their immediate concern is safety, but controllers also must direct planes efficiently to minimize delays.
- Some regulate airport traffic through designated airspaces; others regulate airport arrivals and departures.
- Terminal controllers watch over all planes travelling in an airport's airspace.
- Their main responsibility is to organize the flow of aircraft into and out of the airport.
- They work in either the control tower or the terminal radar approach control (TRACON) room or building.
- Relying on visual observation, the tower local controllers sequence arrival aircraft for landing and issue departure clearances for those departing from the airport.
- Other controllers in the tower control the movement of aircraft on the taxiways, handle flight data, and provide flight plan clearances.
- Terminal radar controllers manage aircraft departing from or arriving to an airport by monitoring each aircraft’s movement on radar to ensure that a safe distance is maintained between all aircraft under their control.
- In addition, terminal controllers keep pilots informed about weather and runway conditions.
- Many different controllers are involved in the departure of an airplane.
- If the plane is flying under instrument flight rule conditions, a flight plan is filed prior to departure.
- The tower flight data controller receives the flight plan in the form of a flight strip, which is output from a computer, and arranges it in sequence.
- When an aircraft calls for clearance the clearance delivery controller issues the clearance and moves the strip over to the ground controller who manages the movement of aircraft on the airport surface, except the active runway.
- When the aircraft arrives at the active runway the strip is moved to the local controller who issues the departure clearance, observes the takeoff and turns the plane over to the departure controller.
- The TRACON departure controller identifies the plane on radar, climbs it, and directs it on course.
- After each plane departs, terminal controllers notify en route controllers, who take charge next.
- Airplanes usually fly along designated routes; each centre is assigned a certain airspace containing many different routes.
- En route controllers work either individually or in teams of two, depending on how heavy traffic is; each team is responsible for a sector of the centre’s airspace.
- As the plane proceeds on its flight plan to its destination it is handed off from sector to sector both within the centre and to adjoining centres.
- To prepare for planes about to enter the team’s sector, the radar associate controller organizes flight plans output from a printer into strip bays.
- If two planes are scheduled to enter the team’s sector in conflict, the controller may arrange with the preceding sector unit for one plane to change its flight path or altitude.
- As a plane approaches a team’s airspace, the radar controller accepts responsibility for the plane from the previous sector.
- The controller also delegates responsibility for the plane to the next sector when the plane leaves the team’s airspace.
- When the plane is approximately 50 miles from the destination airport, it is handed off to that airport’s terminal radar arrival controller who sequences it with other arrivals, and issues an approach clearance.
- As the plane nears the runway, the pilot is issued a clearance to contact the tower.
- The local controller issues the landing clearance.
- Once the plane has landed, the ground controller directs it along the taxiways to its assigned gate.
- The local and ground controllers usually work entirely by sight, but may use airport surface radar if visibility is very poor.
- Both airport tower and en route controllers usually control several planes at a time, often making quick decisions about completely different activities.
- For example, a controller might direct a plane on its landing approach and at the same time provide pilots entering the airport's airspace with information about conditions at the airport.
- While instructing these pilots, the controller also might observe other planes in the vicinity, such as those in a holding pattern waiting for permission to land, to ensure that they remain well separated.
- In addition to airport towers and en route centres, air traffic controllers also work in flight service stations at 17 locations in Alaska.
- These flight service specialists provide pilots with pre-flight and in-flight weather information, suggested routes, and other aeronautical information important to the safety of a flight.
- Flight service specialists relay air traffic control clearances to pilots not in direct communications with a tower or centre, assist pilots in emergency situations, and initiate and coordinate searches for missing or overdue aircraft.
- At certain locations where there is no airport tower or the tower has closed for the day, flight service specialists provide airport advisory services to landing and departing aircraft.
- However, they are not involved in actively managing and separating air traffic.
- Increasing air traffic will require more controllers to handle the additional work.
- Job growth, however, is not expected to keep pace with the increasing number of aircraft flying due to advances in technology.
- Automated air traffic control system will allow controllers to deal more efficiently with the demands of increased air traffic.
- It includes the replacement of aging equipment and the introduction of new systems, technologies, and procedures to enhance safety and security and support future aviation growth.
- Future developments will include the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to eliminate radar-based air traffic control and give controllers real-time displays of aircraft locations.
- This will allow for more efficient flight paths and reduced air traffic congestion, and it will also allow controllers to handle more traffic, increasing their productivity.
- Most job opportunities are expected as the result of replacement needs from workers leaving the occupation.
- Despite the increasing number of job openings for air traffic controllers, competition to get into Academy is expected to remain keen, as there generally are many more test applicants than there are openings.
- Air traffic controllers who continue to meet the proficiency and medical requirements enjoy more job security than do most workers.
- While demand for air transportation declines during recessions, controllers are rarely laid off.
Another occupation involved in the direction and control of traffic in air transportation is Airfield operations specialists.
You can check the above degrees at the following universities:
This career information is drawn from data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.