AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
Air Traffic Controllers ensure the safe travel of aircraft by directing their movements. They organize the flow of aircraft into, out of and between airports. Air Traffic Controllers need to be confident decision-makers, accurate, fast and able to work under very high pressure. They need excellent communication skills, good geospatial awareness and the ability to work as part of a team. People in this role work on shifts around the clock, and can be required to work on any day of the year. In India, an ATC license holder can be hired by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), Indian Air Force and controlled aerodromes.
There are 3 types of air traffic controllers:
Aerodrome controllers
Responsible for the movement of all vehicles, including aircraft,
that are on taxiways and runways. They issue clearances to take off and land
and route aircraft around the airfield so they can taxi safely between runways, stands
and other areas they need to travel to.
Approach controllers
Responsible for separation and guidance of aircraft traveling
in the airspace surrounding an airport. They manage aircraft approaching an airport
putting them into the most efficient sequence to land. They also manage those that
have just departed the airport in their initial phases of flight.
Area controllers
Responsible for transiting aircraft in en-route airspace. They issue
levels, headings and speeds to separate aircraft, providing a safe and expeditious
routing through the sector of airspace that they manage.
