Opportunities and Challenges of The Air Traffic Controller

We get a clue to some of the abilities of an Air Traffic Controller from the film “pushing Tin’ of which an example is managing stress in a “focus and control” setting. An amazon.com comment about the film indicates that each one of us makes mistakes in life in spite of how productive we in life. But then the main issue is about what the Air Traffic Controller does.

The Air Traffic Controller makes sure that the wide network of people and equipment or the air traffic control system allows the safe function of airplanes by coordinating the movement of air traffic so that planes are safely separated by distance. Safety is their number concern even though they ensure that airplanes are efficiently directed to minimize delays. And this can really make their work stressful especially ensuring safety without delaying the planes to take-off.

Controllers are of varying types and they have diverse stages of complexity that allows them to grow by experience from one function to the other. The following is a fair list of complexity types:

• Controller in the radar room
• Airport controllers or terminal controllers look after all planes traveling through the airspace of the airport
• A ground controller in the tower give direction to  taxiing planes to their assigned gate
• Enroute controller is invoked after departs by the airport tower controller

Yet still, enroute and airport tower controllers normally manage the movement of a number of planes in an instant.

An automated air traffic control system has been put in place by the FAA. And there is a long-term strategic plan going to help controllers to be more efficient in dealing with increased demand on air traffic and further, the modernization discussion between the FAA and aviation community called the NAS Architecture.

Speed and accuracy with mental alertness are needed for providing pilots with accurate information. Responsibility for the safety of several aircrafts can be exhausting and in situations of darkness, stress levels may soar especially for the complexity of the traffic controller work and been on a tight shift 24/7.

Professionally, candidates aiming to do air traffic controller work must meet the requisite qualifications as they are standardized and applicants should posses the following qualities:

• Intelligence
• Must articulate clearly and quickly
• Good memory as information received must be remembered and well interpreted
• Decisiveness
• Ability to concentrate amidst distractions

As the levels of complexities increase, professionals are afforded the opportunity of growing their experience on the job. So, they can literally move up the career ladder. Meanwhile, a huge burden is placed on the shoulders of air traffic controllers since they are responsible for disseminating accurate information in the shortest possible time to ensure safety of aircrafts and passengers.