Air Traffic Control: A Pilot's Second Set of Eyes and Ears
Air traffic control specialists coordinate the safe, orderly, and expeditious movement of more than 140 million operations and nearly one billion aviation passengers within the U.S. National Airspace System each year. Controllers work in high energy environments and ensure the safety of pilots, crew, and passengers both in the air and on the ground.
As an air traffic control specialist, you might:
-
Work in an airport control tower to give pilots taxiing, takeoff, and landing instructions from three- to 30-miles from an airport;
-
Coordinate air traffic flying at up to 17,000 feet with radar from a terminal radar approach control facility; or
-
Use radar or manual procedures to keep track of aircraft flying above 17,000 feet as an en-route controller.
There are more than 20,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S. – Find out more about what they do in their jobs every day.
Why Air Traffic Control as a Career?
Air Traffic Control Fun Facts
There are more than 700 airports in the U.S. that require the help of air traffic controllers.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires that air traffic controllers get at least nine hours of rest between each 10-hour maximum shift.
There can be as many as 5,400 aircraft in U.S. airspace at one time that can have communication with multiple air traffic controllers at some point in their journey.
In the U.S. there are around 2,900,000 daily aircraft passengers who are kept safer because of the work air traffic controllers do.
The Federal Aviation Administration operates 24/7 every day of the year and is responsible for more than 5.3 million square miles of domestic U.S. airspace and 24 million miles of airspace over the water around the U.S.
Air traffic controllers and pilots have their own language to communicate clearly with one another. For example, the term "hold short" is an instruction an air traffic controller gives to a pilot to tell them to stop before entering a runway, taxiway, or ramp.
Is Air Traffic Control for You?
If you can say "yes” to any of the following questions, becoming an air traffic controller could be a good career fit for you.
Do you love screen time like when you’re playing a video game or solving puzzles?
Are you good at concentrating with multiple things going on around you at the same time?
Are you fascinated by weather and how it affects when and where airplanes fly?
Do you have a passion for working with technology?
Are you generally calm under pressure and would you be good at being proactive in an emergency situation?
Explore Air Traffic Control Careers
There are three main types of air traffic controller roles while they are similar in many ways, the tasks, equipment, and working conditions can be a little different for each one.
Are you interested in controlling your destiny as an air traffic controller? Create your free AeroEducate account to learn more.
Inspiring Air Traffic Controller Testimonials
Letting your dreams take flight is easier than you think — we can help.
Air Traffic Controller
Nick Meyer
"Thanks to getting involved in aviation at an early age, I was able to explore various career paths and earn flight ratings at a young age. I became a flight instructor at the age of 21, flew corporate jets at age 22, and secured my dream job as an air traffic controller at age 23."
