Ĭommunication is a vital part of the job: controllers are trained to focus on the exact words that pilots and other controllers speak, because a single misunderstanding about altitude levels or runway numbers can have tragic consequences. However, retired military air traffic controllers may qualify for appointment after reaching 31 years of age. This is due to an FAA requirement that trainees begin their training at the Academy no later than their 31st birthday, and face mandatory retirement at age 56.
Almost universally, trainee controllers begin work in their twenties and retire in their fifties. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) such as SSRI antidepressants and benzodiazepines, are banned. Controllers must take precautions to remain healthy and avoid certain medications that are banned for them. Conditions such as hypertension, while not disqualifying, are taken seriously and must be monitored with medical examinations by certified doctors. In the United States, for example, all air traffic controllers are required to take and pass a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory before being hired by the Federal Aviation Administration. Almost universally, controllers are subjected to rigid medical and mental exams to ensure safety in the air traffic system.
Moreover, the position of the air traffic controller requires some of the strictest medical and mental requirements for any profession in the world conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and many mental disorders (e.g., clinical depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, a history of drug abuse) almost always disqualify people from obtaining medical certification from the overseeing aviation authority. Excellent hearing and speaking skills are a requirement, and trainees undergo rigorous physical and psychological testing. In 'games' involving short-term memory, peer-induced stresses, and real-time risk analysis, air traffic control specialists scored better than the control group in every experiment.
Through numerous studies throughout the decades, it has been demonstrated that traffic controllers usually have a superior visual memory, and in addition, studies have shown that air traffic controllers generally have a degree of situational awareness that is significantly better than the population average. For a more detailed article on the job itself, see air traffic control.įeatures of the job Core skills of a controller Īir traffic controllers are generally individuals who are well organized, are quick with numeric computations and mathematics, have assertive and firm decision-making skills, are able to maintain their composure under pressure, and possess an excellent short-term memory. Many controllers, however, cite high salaries, and a large, unique, and privileged degree of autonomy as major advantages of their jobs.Īlthough the media in the United States frequently refers to them as air controllers, or flight controllers, most air traffic professionals use the term air traffic controllers, ATCOs, or controllers. Because controllers have an incredibly large responsibility while on duty (often in aviation, "on position") and make countless real-time decisions on a daily basis, the ATC profession is consistently regarded around the world as one of the most mentally challenging careers, and can be notoriously stressful depending on many variables (equipment, configurations, weather, traffic volume, traffic type, special activities, governmental actions, human factors). Controllers apply separation rules to keep aircraft at a safe distance from each other in their area of responsibility and move all aircraft safely and efficiently through their assigned sector of airspace, as well as on the ground. The position of air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. Usually stationed in air traffic control centers and control towers on the ground, they monitor the position, speed, and altitude of aircraft in their assigned airspace visually and by radar, and give directions to the pilots by radio. Varies by country.Īir traffic control specialists, abbreviated ATCS, are personnel responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. Public and private sectors, both military and civil.
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