Global InformationAir traffic controller information
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 Military air traffic controllers in a control tower | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Aviation Military |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Excellent short-term memory and situational awareness, excellent communication skills, good mathematical skills, quick and assertive decision making abilities, ability to perform under stress and general situational aversives. |
Education required | Certification by aviation authority (e.g. FAA) under ICAO rules and regulations. Majority from military and/or four-year degree CTI schools |
Fields of employment | Public and private sectors, both military and civil. Varies by country. |
Air 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. 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. The position of air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. Controllers apply separation rules to keep aircraft at a safe distance from each other and within proper airspace in their area of responsibility and move all aircraft safely and efficiently through their assigned sector of airspace, as well as on the ground. 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). Many controllers, however, cite high salaries,[1][2][3] and a large, unique, and privileged degree of autonomy as major advantages of their jobs.
Although 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. For a more detailed article on the job itself, see air traffic control.
- ^ "Air Traffic Controllers". Occupational Outlook Handbook (2014–15 ed.). Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
The median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $122,530 in May 2012.
- ^ "Air Transport Professionals". Job Outlook: An Australian Government Initiative. Canberra, Australia: Department of Employment, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
...graph shows median weekly earnings for the occupation compared with the median across all occupations.
- ^ "Air traffic controller: Job Information". National Careers Service. Skills Funding Agency on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Government of U.K. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
...chart shows the median, or middle, annual income figure for full-time workers in this sector compared to the national median figure for all sectors.