Though pilots are vital to aviation safety, air traffic controllers play an equally important role in keeping the skies secure for everyone in the air. Air traffic management is a valuable, in-demand vocation that is both gratifying and beneficial.
What Is Air Traffic Management?
Air Traffic Management incorporates but differs from Air Traffic Control (ATC). ATC gives aircraft instructions to guarantee safe, legal separation as they travel through the National Airspace System, from pushback to parking.
Air Traffic Management, on the other hand, takes a more holistic approach to dealing with air traffic, including not only telling aircraft what to do but also managing traffic flows, identifying potential bottlenecks and congested areas, sending information digitally to aircraft, and efficiently mitigating delays.
What Services Are Available?
The encompasses three different services. Air Traffic Services are the most important. It encompasses both the ATC system and the Flight Information Service, which provides pilots with essential in-flight information and assistance to ensure the safe and efficient operation of a flight.
Another aspect of Air Traffic Management is that which regulates aircraft flow to reduce congestion in specific control sectors. This system evaluates the impact of individual acts on the overall system.
Air Traffic Managers also work with private stakeholders in the National Airspace System, including airlines, general aviation, and the military. This enables the ATC system to avoid radio congestion by collaborating with larger units; for example, by speaking with major airlines, ATC transfers responsibility for communicating certain delays to the airline, which can instruct multiple crews to make adjustments before the aircraft calls ATC in the first place.
Air Traffic Management Job Opportunities
To get a career in air traffic management, you must meet certain prerequisites. Air traffic controllers must be US citizens who have passed a medical exam, a pre-employment test, and a background check. Controllers must also have three years of progressively responsible job experience, a Bachelor’s degree, or a combination of work and higher education totaling three years.
After joining the FAA, controllers have the opportunity to advance into additional Air Traffic Management responsibilities. Air Traffic Control System Command Center staff managers, for example, are in charge of supervising a wide range of support tasks, including planning and infrastructure, quality assurance, airspace and procedures, and training.
Meanwhile, Aviation Technical Systems Specialists are responsible for maintaining the systems and equipment that ensure the safety of air travel. They install, operate, maintain, and repair equipment like as radar, communications, navigational aids, airport lighting, and HVAC systems. These professionals ensure that the systems that allow for the safe, efficient operation and management of aircraft and air traffic run smoothly, preventing errors caused by malfunctioning equipment.
Getting an Air Traffic Management Education
While any Bachelor’s degree can qualify a candidate for a position in certain universities specialize in the field or offer degrees in Aeronautical Technology. These degree programs might explicitly focus on ensuring airplane safety. Universities with aviation specialties offer programs that allow for a greater level of specialization and skill.
Candidates can also get instruction through two-year college programs. When combined with prior experience, such as serving as a military air traffic controller or working for a corporation contracted by the FAA to offer ATC services in control towers, these associate degrees can be a successful method to pursue a career i.
Common Career Paths
The most popular employment option for those with Air Traffic Management is with the FAA, which supplies a substantial share of ATC services in the United States. Some graduates go on to work with FAA contractors, who are stationed at various control towers across the country. Others work for the Department of Defense, which provides ATC systems to military sites and U.S. aircraft operating outside of FAA authority.
it is an extremely lucrative professional choice. It requires a high level of focus, management, and intelligence, but is open to a wide range of candidates. ATC is a critical function that assures the continuous success of the National Airspace System.