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Job Description: Both military and civilian air traffic controllers are responsible for ensuring the safe operation of aircraft. Airport tower controllers or terminal controllers organize the flow of planes into and out of the airport. Relying on radar and visual observation, they closely monitor each plane to ensure a safe distance between all aircraft and to guide pilots between the hangar or ramp and the end of the airport's airspace. In addition, controllers keep pilots informed about changes in weather conditions such as wind shear - - a sudden change in the velocity or direction of the wind that can cause a pilot to lose control of the aircraft.
During arrival or departure, several controllers direct each plane. As a plane approaches an airport, the pilot radios ahead to inform the terminal of its presence. The controller in the radar room, just beneath the control tower, has a copy of the plane's flight plan and already has observed the plane on radar. If the path is clear, the controller directs the pilot to a runway; if the airport is busy, the plane is fitted into a traffic pattern with other aircraft waiting to land. As the plane nears the runway, the pilot is asked to contact the tower. There, another controller, who is also watching the plane on radar, monitors the aircraft the last mile or so to the runway, delaying any departures that would interfere with the plane's landing. Once the plane has landed, a ground controller in the tower directs it along the taxiways to its assigned gate. The ground controller usually works entirely by sight, but may use radar if visibility is very poor. The procedure is reversed for departures. After each plane departs, airport tower controllers notify enroute controllers who will next take charge. There are 21 enroute control centers located around the country, each employing 300 to 700 controllers, with more than 150 on duty during peak hours at the busier facilities. Airplanes generally fly along designated routes; each center is assigned a certain airspace containing many different routes. Enroute controllers work in teams of up to three members, depending on how heavy traffic is; each team is responsible for a section of the center's airspace. Civilian air traffic controllers work for the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) in airports and control centers around the country.
Everyday, hundreds of military airplanes and helicopters take off and land all over the world. Their movements are closely controlled in order to prevent accidents. Air traffic specialists direct the movement of aircraft into and out of military airfields. They track aircraft by radar and give voice instructions by radio. In the military these workers are called air traffic controllers.
Duties: Civilian air traffic controllers may perform some or all of the following:
- Communicate with, relay flight plans to, and coordinate movement of air traffic between control centers
- Determine timing of and procedure for flight vector changes
- Issue landing and departure authorizations and instructions
- Recommend flight path changes to planes traveling in storms or fog
- Control flight patterns in emergency situations
- Relay air traffic information such as altitude, expected time of arrival, and course of aircraft to control centers
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control center and accept control of arriving flights from air traffic control center
- Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, and maps to determine air routes
For detailed information on tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, work contexts, job zones, interests, work styles, work values, and related occupations visit the O*Net Online, a division of the National Center for Occupational Information. Military air traffic controllers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate radio equipment to issue departure, flight, and landing instructions to pilots
- Relay weather reports, airfield conditions, and safety information to pilots
- Use radar equipment to track aircraft in flight
- Plot airplane locations on charts and maps
- Compute speed, direction, and altitude of aircraft
- Maintain air traffic control records and communication logs
Working Conditions: Civilian air traffic controllers usually work 40 hours a week on a rotating basis. Work surroundings can be very tense during busy periods. The ability to concentrate is crucial because controllers must make swift decisions in the midst of noise and other distractions. Military air traffic controllers work in land-based and shipboard control centers.
Educational Requirements: Air traffic controller trainees are selected through the competitive Federal Civil Service system. Applicants must pass a written test that measures their ability to learn the controller's duties. Applicants with experience as a pilot, navigator, or military controller can improve their rating by scoring well on the occupational knowledge portion of the examination. In addition, applicants usually must have 3 years of general work experience or 4 years of college, or a combination of both. Applicants also must survive a week of screening at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, which includes aptitude tests using computer simulators and physical and psychological examinations. Successful applicants receive drug screening tests. For airport tower and enroute center positions, applicants must be less than 31 years old. Those 31 years old and over are eligible for positions at flight service stations.
Trainees learn their jobs through a combination of formal and on-the-job training. They receive 7 months of intensive training at the FAA academy, where they learn the fundamentals of the airway system, FAA regulations, controller equipment, aircraft performance characteristics, as well as more specialized tasks. To receive a job offer, trainees must successfully complete the training and pass a series of examinations, including a controller skills test that measures speed and accuracy in recognizing and correctly solving air traffic control problems. The test requires judgments on spatial relationships and requires application of the rules and procedures contained in the Air Traffic Control Handbook. Based on aptitude and test scores, trainees are selected to work at either an enroute center or a tower.
For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Trade and Industrial Education Standards, Competency Profiles, and Resource Links online.Military job training consists of between 7 and 13 weeks of classroom instruction. Training length varies depending on specialty. Course content typically includes: air traffic control fundamentals, visual and instrument flight procedures, radar and non-radar landing approach procedures, and communication procedures. Additional training occurs on the job. Aircraft carrier air traffic controllers receive specialized training.
Outlook: The estimated number of air traffic controllers in Tennessee is 430. It is projected there will be a 4 percent increase in this occupation through the year 2012 with only 10 job openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.
The military services have 7,000 air traffic controllers. On the average, they need about 600 new controllers each year. For more information for Enlisted Personnel in Transportation and Material Handling Careers, visit Today's Military online.
Military service: Military air traffic controllers are enlistees in the Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force.
| 10% | 25% | Median- 50% | 75% | 90% | |
| TN Annual | $60,480 | $95,990 | $121,230 | $144,210 | $145,600 |
| US Annual | $59,410 | $86,860 | $117,240 | $142,210 | $145,600 |
*Some salaries are listed at an hourly rate. Those that include a single dollar amount are considered hourly wage.
Wage and salary data provided by:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
- TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
- Bureau of Economic Analysis website
For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org
Last updated on: August 15, 2008