Air Traffic Controllers

Air traffic controllers are required to remain constantly alert and focused while performing a large number of simultaneous duties. They must keep track of several aircraft approaching, departing, and passing through the airspace under their control while receiving flight data from and giving instructions to several pilots at once. They must remain alert to weather and airport conditions changes, guide planes through intricate approach patterns, and maintain a safe aircraft separation in the sky and on the ground. They must be able to interpret the symbols on the radar screen, form a clear image of what is happening in the sky above them, and react quickly and decisively to the activity of the aircraft. Controllers must also have strong communicative abilities and be able to give instructions to pilots in a firm and clear tone. The stress of the controller's job requires a great deal of emotional control, especially in times of potential danger and emergency. Traffic conditions change continuously throughout the controller's shift, and the controller must remain alert during times of light traffic and heavy traffic.

Terminal air traffic controllers work in towers as high as 200 feet off the ground; windows on all sides allow the pilot to see what is happening on the runways and in the sky around the airport. Radar control screens provide locations of all aircraft in the airport's airspace. Large air traffic control towers generally house the radar control center in a room below the observation tower. En route centers are usually housed in large, windowless buildings. These controllers monitor the sky entirely through radar and radio communication. Flight service stations are often located at airports in separate buildings from the control tower.

The number of air traffic controllers on duty varies from airport to airport and according to the number of scheduled flights expected in a center's airspace. At a small airport, a controller may work alone for an entire shift; larger airports may have up to 30 controllers on duty, while en route centers may have more than 150 controllers on duty during a shift. Air traffic controllers work a five-day, 40-hour week, usually on a rotating shift basis, which means they often work at night, during the weekends, and during holidays. Overtime is often available; during a shift, controllers are given breaks every two hours.