Vince Scarpelli: Air Traffic Control

Air Traffic Control

There are many important and dangerous jobs in world. These types of jobs usually deal with the safety and lives of innocent people. These jobs range anywhere from medical doctors to policemen. However, one certain profession is in a league of it’s own. Air traffic controllers have always been of vital importance to air travel ever since people have been flying through the skies. Guiltless citizens blindly put their faith and trust, and more valuably their lives into the hands of an unknown worker, to help them safely get to and from their selective destination. ATC, being a government and union job according to the FAA, is not one to be taken lightly, and is stern in absolutely every aspect of its structure.

Air traffic control is a complex safety program. It is a service given by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft through their transition between the ground and the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems is to manage the sky. This duty includes tasks such as separating aircraft to prevent aerial collisions, organize and advance the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other support for pilots when requested. Air traffic control can also play a bigger role; defense, as it does militarily in the United States. On the contrary, Brazil is a country where every air traffic controller is of military descent in some way, but this is not very common in the world. Separation is a key term to a controller’s job description. It is used to prevent aircraft from getting too close to each other laterally and vertically. Some aircraft have implemented collision avoidance systems to act as a backup to ATC observations, a new form of this will be discussed later; NextGen. Another addition service of an air traffic controller is to provide information to pilots such as weather and navigation information, called NOTAMs, standing for Notices To Airmen.

In most countries, ATC services are provided throughout the bulk of airspace in the clouds, and are available to all users, such as private, commercial, and military. There are two types of airspace, controlled and uncontrolled. Air traffic controllers dictate controlled airspace, compared to uncontrolled airspace, where aircraft are free to fly without the use of the air traffic control system. Another chore ATC can do for pilots, pending the type of flight and airspace class (A, B, C, D, E & G, the US does not use class F), is give them instructions such as flight information, or sometimes known as advisories, that are mandatory to follow. No matter what the circumstance, however, the pilot in command always has final say and responsibility for the safety of the passengers and the aircraft, and may diverge from ATC instructions in case of an emergency.

There can be many different duties and even locations for a controller to work. The most recognizable workplace for a controller would be the airport traffic control tower. The ATCT is a tall building with a giant window structure located circa the runways. Tower controllers, also know as Aerodrome controllers, are responsible for the separation and efficient transport of aircraft and runway vehicles on the taxiways and runways of the airport, and aircraft in the air generally ranging from 5 to 10 nautical miles, relying on the specific procedures of the airport. A mile is 5,280 feet long, compared to a nautical mile, which is 6,076 long. A nautical mile is 796 feet longer than a regularly known common mile. The nautical mile is the common unit of measurement in the aviation industry.

Controllers do have the availability of radar displays at some airports around the country. Secondary Surveillance Radar is a radar system controllers can use for airborne traffic approaching or departing. There are many important items displayed on the radar, such as a map of the area, the position of the aircraft, and data tags. Data tags include the aircraft identification, speed of the aircraft, its heading, and other information pertaining to local procedures.

The 3 most common duties for an ATCT controller are Local Control, Ground Control, or Flight Data/Clearance Delivery. These jobs may be subject to change at the busiest airports, as they may have additional jobs that are necessary to be worked. ATCT may each individually at unique airport-specific methods such as multiple teams of crews (groups of controllers) at major airports with numerous runways. However, the tasks that controllers are responsible for at each duty (Local & Ground Control, and Flight Data/Clearance Delivery) are all the same at each airport, as these obligations cannot be any different at any distinctive location.

Ground Control, sometimes known as Ground Movement Control, is responsible for the areas with movement. These areas include all taxiways (the transit roads between runways), inactive runways, holding areas, and some additional intersecting areas where aircraft arrive. Exact and specific area and control accountability is clearly defined documents and agreements at each airport. Any aircraft, vehicle or person walking or working in these areas are required to have clearance from Ground Control. They receive such clearance usually through the form of a Very-High Frequency/Ultra-High Frequency (VHF/UHF) radio, but as usual, there are certain cases where other processes may be deviated. Almost all aircraft and airside vehicles contain some form of a communication radio. There are aviation light signals for the few aircraft or vehicles without radios to respond to ATC instructions. Another way they can cooperate with ATC direction is by possibly following another vehicle in front of them who has a radio and order from ATC.

People who work on the airport surface at ground level would normally have some kind of communications link in which they can correspond with Ground Control, previously stated with either a radio, or even a cell phone in some circumstances. Ground Control is very important to the system so that the airport can function smoothly. This is vital because it directly effects the sequence of aircraft departing and taking off, which in turn effects the safety and efficiency of the airport’s operation so that there are no delayed flights. Workers dislike delayed flights just as much as traveling passengers do.

Some of the busier airports have what is called Surface Movement Radar. SMR is designed to display aircraft and vehicles that are on the ground. This helps Ground Control additional to control the traffic on the ground. This is extremely helpful when it is nighttime or there is poor visibility. But just like almost all the equipment being used now, modifications are being made. These modifications will give the system a wide range of capabilities. Newer systems will include the capability to display higher quality mapping, radar target, data blocks and safety alerts, and even digital flight strips. Compared to the older structure, which will just display the airport map and simply the target.

Local Control, better known to pilots as “Tower” or “Tower Control”, is responsible for the active runways. Local Control clears aircraft for takeoff and landing, helping to preserve the runway separation that must exist at all times to help work efficiently. If Local Control detects and unsafe condition, a landing aircraft may be told to “go around” and circle the airport, being forced to reenter the landing pattern by the approach or terminal area controller.

Within the ATCT, a highly regimented communications process between Local and Ground Control is an unconditional requisite. Ground Control must request and gain approval from Local Control to cross and active runway with any aircraft or vehicle. Similarly, Local Control must ensure that Ground Control is fully aware of any operations that might possibly influence the taxiways, and work with the Approach Radar controllers to try and create “holes” or “gaps” in the arrival traffic to allow taxiing traffic to cross runways and to allow departing aircraft to takeoff. Crew Resource Management procedures are regularly used to make sure this communication process is efficient and clear, although is not as common as CRM for pilots.

Clearance Delivery is the position that issues route clearances to aircraft, typically before they begin taxiing. These clearances contain details of the route that the aircraft is expected to fly after departure. Clearance Delivery will, if necessary, coordinate with the En Route Center to obtain releases for aircraft. At some busier airports this position is called the Traffic Management Coordinator. Often, however, such releases are given automatically or are controlled by local agreements allowing “free-flow” departures. When weather or particularly high demand for a certain airport/airspace becomes a factor, there may be ground “stops” or delays, or even re-routes to make certain the system does not get overloaded.

The primary responsibility of Clearance Delivery is to ensure that the aircraft have the proper route and time slot. This information is also coordinated with the En Route Center and Ground Control in order to make sure that the aircraft reaches the runway in time to meet the slot provided by the command center. Flight Data, which is usually combined with Clearance Delivery, is the position that is accountable for ensuring that both controllers and pilots have the most current information. The most current information can include relevant weather changes, outages, airport ground delays, and even runway closures. Flight Data may inform the pilots using a recorded loop on a specific frequency, simply known as ATIS, the Automated Terminal Information Service. This is just a machine who has computer recorded information to relay to pilots and whoever need be.

Approach and Terminal Control is another position a controller could possibly work in their job. Many airports have a radar control facility that is associated with the airport. In most countries it is referred to as Terminal Control, in the US it is referred to as the TRACON, which stands for Terminal Radar Approach Control. Every airport differs, but normally terminal controllers handle traffic typically ranging from a 30 to 50 mile radius from the specified airport. Where there are many busy airports close together, one strong TRACON may service all those airports. The airspace boundaries and altitudes assigned to a TRACON, which vary at each airport, are based on factors such as traffic flows, neighboring airports and terrain.

Terminal controllers are in charge for providing all ATC services within their assigned airspace. Traffic flow is divided into departures and arrivals. As aircraft move in and out of the terminal airspace, they are “handed off “to the next appropriate control facility, which can be a control tower, an en-route control facility, or another terminal/approach control. Terminal control is responsible for ensuring that aircraft are at an appropriate altitude when they are “handed off”, and that aircraft arrive at a suitable rate for landing as well. However, not all airports have a radar approach/terminal control on hand. In this case, the En-Route Center or a nearby terminal/approach control may co-direct with the tower on the airport and vector inbound aircraft to a position from where they can land visually. At some of these airports, the tower may provide a non-radar procedural approach service to arriving aircraft handed over from a radar unit before they are visual to land. Some units also have a dedicated approach unit, which can provide the procedural approach service either all the time or for any periods of radar outage for any possible reason.

An En-Route Center is one of the last positions an Air Traffic Controller can hold. ATC provides services to aircraft in flight between airports. Pilots fly under one of two sets of rules for separation. The rules of separation are either Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). VFR a type of “free flight”, in which the pilots fly accordingly to their surrounding weather conditions, this is done mostly during unfavorable weather conditions and poor visibility. Free flight is a method still being developed that uses no centralized control, such as an air traffic controller. In its place, parts of airspace are reserved in a distributed way using computer communication to ensure the required separation between aircraft.

It is still a work in progress working out the kinks, and could be implemented into the US National Airspace System within the next decade. IFR is used more with good weather, when ATC can direct the planes without and unplanned obscurations. ATC have different duties to aircraft operating under each different respective set. While IFR flights are under positive control, VFR pilots can also request flight following, which provides them with traffic advisory services on a time permitting basis, and may also provide assistance in avoiding areas of bad weather and flight restrictions, either as temporary such as an important event like the Super Bowl, or permanent prohibited areas such as the White House.

En-route controllers issue clearances and instructions for airborne aircraft and pilots are required to comply with instructions. En-route controllers also supply ATC services to many smaller airports around the country, including clearance off the ground and clearance for an approach to the selected airport. Controllers adhere to a set of separation standards that define the minimum distance allowed between aircraft. These distances vary depending on the equipment and procedures used in providing ATC examination.

There are many possible things that can bring stress to air traffic controllers. In fact, according to ShareRanks website, Air Traffic Controller is the top position as the most stressful job. Some things that can bring stress to controllers are the work schedule, the workload, the new speak, and most importantly the new equipment.

The work schedule can be very difficult for newcomers to adapt to. 1^st shift is typically 7 am to 3 pm. 2^nd shift is 3am-11pm. 3^rd shift is the toughest and the most dreadful to all controllers; midnights. Studies show controllers’ bodies never do truly adjust to the midnight shift. Typically, controllers actually work for anywhere from 90 minutes to 120 minutes, then they will get a 30-minute break. Air Traffic Control is a 24-hour gig, 365 days a year, and that means holidays too.

It’s unfortunate that some controllers are forced to work on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, meaning they cannot go home to see their families. But it seems like the trade off for the +100K salary is a good one. Being a government job, dealing with the safety and transportation of society, people must sacrifice. Thus, controllers will rotate shifts, including nights and weekend and holidays. It could definitely be a tad tricky learning to familiarize oneself with such a routine. The reason controllers rotate shifts every couple days and get breaks during working periods are to help guarantee that the controllers remain focused or fresh, and effective to help continue pay great attention to make sure planes move safely. Research has shown then when controllers are held without a break for more than two hours, their performance can deteriorate rapidly, even with low traffic levels. In fact, regulations therefore require breaks at least every two hours. A characteristic workday for an air traffic controller is an 8-hour day, 5 days per week.

Something else that new controllers could have learning is the new lingo and call signs. It is extremely important for a new controller to quickly adapt to the new language spoken in the industry, so that they can work effectively and efficiently to help aircraft land and depart timely and safely.

There is a distinct set of call signs assigned by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These call signs appear on flight plans and radar labels for ATC, they are a 3-letter combination followed by the flight number. In the United States, call signs are sometimes abbreviated to a prefix to indicate the aircraft type, aircraft manufacturer, followed by the actual call sign. An abbreviation is only allowed after communications have been established in each sector. The phonetic alphabet is another thing controllers must adjust their minds and tongues to. There are a few numbers that drastically change the wording and sounding of the word. For example, the number 3 is pronounced as “TREE”, the number 5 becomes “FIFE”, and the number 9 becomes “NINER”. Another slight deviation is the letter 4 is pronounced as “FOW-ER”.

Any controller, a fresh new guy or an old experienced veteran will all tell you the same thing. The technology and equipment is the hardest part of learning on the job. It’s going to be extra hard for newer workers for two reasons. First, they have to learn the existing equipment already, and it gets even harder because the Federal Aviation Administration is trying to implement a whole new system called NextGen.

Specifically, NextGen is the up-and-coming transformation of the national airspace system. Ultimately, for a number of reasons, NextGen will provide a satellite-based system making air traffic controllers’ jobs easier and less stressful. NextGen covers many topics, ranging from the natural environment and the economy to safety. Slightly less than 4% of global carbon air pollution can be blamed on aviation (particularly the ICAO and the FAA). This new system provides quicker routes for planes, thus burning less fuel. If all planes in the sky are known at a certain time, then it is possible to equally separate the planes from each other.

There are many pieces of equipment that trainees must learn in the field through their OJT (On the Job Training). It is important for beginners to learn quickly so that they will be chosen to permanently work at a facility. Flight Data Processing System is a system that processes all the information related to the flight (plan), usually pertaining every action from gate to gate (departure to arrival and vice versa). All related information is relayed to all necessary persons, such as controllers or centers. Minimum Safe Altitude Warning is a tool that alerts the controller if an aircraft looks as if it seems to be flying too low to the ground or will collide with terrain based on its current altitude and heading.

Departing and Arriving Managers help predict and plan the route and timely fashion in which a certain aircraft will depart/arrive and its course throughout the air and on the ground at the airport. This is designed to help be efficient and quickly, being helpful as it makes coworkers’ jobs easier. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ASD-B) provides a date link of various flight parameters to air traffic control systems via a Transponder and reception of those data by other aircraft in the vicinity. The most important is the aircraft’s altitude, longitude and level; as such data can be utilized to create a radar-like display of aircraft for controllers. The Flight Strips are a system of flight strips that allow controllers to manage flight data with a sense of physicality in front of their eyes. This helps controllers “actually get a feel” for the aircraft they are controlling in the airspace.

For years the FAA has been trying to create a more technologically advanced system making the aviation industry one of the most intricate and appraised in the world. They have tirelessly spent billions of dollars on computer software to help design assistance to ATC. Success has been limited in the past. However, the FAA thinks that have really struck gold. They sincerely believe that within the next decade or so, NextGen is going to blow people minds with the advanced equipment and tasks it can help make a hundred times easier.

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is the name given to a new National Airspace System due for implementation in stages sometime between 2012 and 2025. To get this done, the FAA will commence a wide-ranging transformation of the entire existing US air transportation system. In 2003, the United States Congress established the Joint Planning and Developing Office (JPDO) to help plan as well as coordinate the development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System.

The implementation of NextGen will in a sense limit a controller’s work. They can be more thought of now as Air Traffic “Managers” or “Observers”. NextGen will do all the work a controller can do, so the controller can in a sense step back from all the work, and just oversee everything on a monitor and watch closely to make sure no mistakes are actually made. Of course ATC will at times be forced to intervene and correct and errors in certain situations. Air Traffic Control is a practiced skill that must be rehearsed on a regular basis as not to lose touch. Believe it or not this is the biggest obstacle and hesitation to execute the new system, so that controllers do not forget how to do their job, as innocent lives are at stake. The current system is known to be increasingly stressful. Without quick, decisive action it will continue to degrade and possibly expense costly flight delays and increasing concerns over safety, which is number one priority. It is designed to move away from ground-based technologies to new and more dynamic satellite-based expertise. The new capabilities and technologies are aimed to change the way the system operates, help reduce congestion in the sky, and improve passengers’ overall flying experience.

There are numerous different aspects of NextGen. ADS-B, which stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, uses a global navigational satellite system, which enables “free flight.” ADS-B can be compared to ADF (Automatic Direction Finder), and VOR (Very-High-Frequency Omni directional Radio Range Receiver). ADF is a radio receiver used to determine direction using a transmitter. VOR uses a receiver-station relationship relaying a 360-degree round indicator. “Free flight” allows the pilot to “control” the plane even more than before. The pilot will no longer have to wait for the controller to advise. If for some reason that action cannot or should not be done, either a computer or an air traffic controller will intervene and correct the pilot.

One of the biggest intentions of ADS-B is to help attain surveillance exposure, especially in areas that have poor or little radar reports. ADS-B will use Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to provide ATC and pilots with much more accurate information that will help keep aircraft safely separated in the skies and on runways. Aircraft transponders receiver GPS signals and use them to determine the aircraft’s exact position in the sky. This is then broadcast to ATC and other aircraft. This will be the most drastic safety enhancing improvement in aviation in years.

ADS-B is just one of many new features of the NextGen program, and will completely modify modern aviation. The best effect it could have is making the workplace in this field less stressful, therefore making it a much happier and friendly place to be around.

There are many benefits to the new NextGen system. With the addition of NextGen, pilots can select their own direct flight paths, rather than follow existing transit paths designed in the sky already. Each aircraft will transmit and receive precise information about the time at which it and others will cross paths at key points along their journey. Pilots and ATC will have the same information. This is also a big help when dealing with weather. The impact of weather on flight operations will be reduced through the use of improved information sharing. New technology can sense the weather patterns, which will help improve weather forecasts and decision-making by pilots. Better forecasts can only help minimize airspace limitations and traffic restrictions. The new procedures of NextGen will help improve airport surface movements as they reduce spacing and separation requirements. It will aid and better manage the overall flows in and out of busy airspaces and airports, thus, getting the maximum use of each respective area.

The implementation of NextGen is a great feat for the aviation industry. It will tremendously help out the timing and efficiency of everyone involved in the field. It is a fantastic idea to develop, as long as people are being careful. Workers cannot get lazy once the system is up and running. It seems like a grand scheme to help cut down on pollution, get passengers to where they need to be faster, and overall get the maximum use out of every piece of equipment as possible.

Air Traffic Control is no joke. Innocent lives are on the line each and every minute of the day. There is no doubt it is a very tough field to get into, as there are only roughly 20,000 controllers across the country. A selected few can efficiently do the job correctly. Obstacles possibly found in this profession are not ones usually found in normal everyday jobs. But that does not mean one should give up. One should persevere to help the better good of society keeping people safe as they travel to see loved ones or business trips.