Air Traffic Control Is The Pulse Of Aviation!

As a kid, I spent hours watching airplanes streak across the sky and leave their white trails behind them. Who knew that someday I would be the one guiding those giant machines one day? Who knew that I would be the one who talks to the pilots and make sure they all get where they need to go safely? I am a flight operations officer who now oversees flight operations. During a normal working day, I collaboratively work with air traffic controllers and here I am going to share my ground-level experience regarding air traffic control.

Air traffic controllers are the invisible conductors of the giant sky. I make sure all the airplanes take off, land, and fly through our airspace safely and on time. Air traffic control is a big job, and they have so many things to keep track of.  Air traffic controllers have special radars that show us where all the planes are, and they talk to the pilots on the radio, give them instructions, and keep them apart. 

It is a big responsibility!

But there is no better feeling than knowing every day they help hundreds of people reach their destinations safely every day.

A closer look at the air traffic control system

What is air traffic control? Most people only imagine the people working in airport towers when they think about air traffic control. But it is actually a much bigger operation than that. Air traffic controllers are like air traffic guides; they may be on the ground, but they look after airplanes in different sky areas with their radar systems.

They completely guide some airplanes. Air traffic controllers tell pilots exactly where to go and how high to fly. But for some others, they give more like advice.  Air traffic controllers let them know where other airplanes are and any potential problems, but they can decide how to handle them. The pilot is always the one in charge of the airplane. They can break away from air traffic controllers’ instructions to keep everyone safe if something serious happens.  Air traffic controllers’ main goal is to keep everything orderly and ensure the aircraft, pilots, flight attendants, and airline passengers are safe.

How does air traffic control work?

 Air traffic controllers work in stages. First, they talk to the pilots before they even take off. They check their maps and make sure the weather is okay for flying. That is the Preflight stage. 

Then,  air traffic controllers clear them for takeoff and keep them apart until they reach a certain point outside the airport. That is the Takeoff stage.

Once they are up in the air,  air traffic controllers electronically pass the plane to the TRACON departure controller. But they monitor it until it is five miles away. That is the Departure stage. Then, In the air stage, The Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) supervises flights within the area. After that, the Descent stage occurs when the plane is close to 50 miles from its destination airport. Then, in the Approach stage, The TRACON controller merges several descending planes into a single, even pace. When the plane gets closer to its destination, air traffic controllers take over again. This is the landing stage. In this stage, they help them line up for landing and guide them to the right gate at the airport.

Air traffic control technology 

What technology is used in air traffic control? Back in the day, air traffic controllers handled everything manually. They did things mostly by eye and used their own judgment. Now, they have some amazing tools to help their operations.

Radar systems

Radars can see exactly where each plane is, how high it is flying, and how fast it is going, all in real-time.

Satellites

These help them see exactly where a plane is. They can track planes even in far-off places our normal radar might not reach.

Automation

Today, computers, automation algorithms, and artificial intelligence (AI) help air traffic contollers manage all airplanes. Whether they have to manage high traffic volumes, enhance route efficiency, reduce the workload, or minimize the errors they rarely make, automation systems take care of all that.

ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast)

This new technology helps airplanes tell air traffic controllers where they are all the time via satellite, automatically broadcasting this information to them.

These powerful technologies help us keep all the airplanes in the sky organized, safe, and on schedule. Most importantly, they help air traffic controllers avoid air traffic control error risks. 

What are the risks of air traffic control errors?

Here are a few ways things can go wrong.

Flight disruptions

Sometimes, a small mistake on our end, like giving the wrong information to a pilot, can lead to a big delay. That one plane being late can mess up the schedule for other flights.

Accidents

Thankfully, accidents are rare, but air traffic control mistakes could cause accidents if these professionals do not separate the planes properly. That is why they double and triple-check everything to make sure all the planes have enough space between them. Safety is our number one priority.

Increased costs

Even computers can make mistakes. Sometimes, when bugs come up in our software systems, fixing them can cost a lot of money and time.

Challenges of air traffic control

Air traffic control is a rewarding and exciting profession, but is it always sunshine and rainbows? I would not say that. There are definitely some tough things air traffic controllers face up here in the tower. 

What are some of the biggest challenges facing air traffic control today? 

Let us discuss them.

Increased air traffic demand

The growing number of airplanes in the sky is a very big challenge. It is kind of like rush hour on the freeway, but way up in the sky. Airlines need more controllers to keep everyone safe and spaced out. And that is not always easy.

Severe weather incidents

Thunderstorms and snowstorms can really mess with flights. In the US, over 75% of US travel delays are due to severe weather. And it costs airlines $13,000 per canceled flight. 

What happens when there is bad weather? 

Bad weather is the worst for air traffic. When there is a storm, airplanes can not just take off or land like normal. The strong winds and rain are too dangerous. So, air traffic controllers have to re-route flights around the storm. Sometimes, they even have to divert flights to a different airport altogether. 

This is not ideal, but safety always comes first. Lightning is another big no-no. If there is too much lightning near the airport, air traffic controllers might have to ground everything for a bit. So, no airplanes can take off or land until the storm passes.

Environmental conditions

Climate change is making the weather even crazier than usual. One minute, it is sunny; the next, there is a surprise thunderstorm. Therefore, these airline professionals have to be on their toes to adjust flight plans and keep everyone safe.

Recruitment and Training

Finding new people to do this job can be tough, too. It takes a lot of training to become an air traffic controller, and not enough people are lining up for the job. These airline professionals need more teammates to help them out.

Advanced technology integration

Luckily, technology is on their side. They have modern, new tools to help them to manage all the airplanes. These advanced devices help them avoid air traffic control mistakes like the recent glitch in the UK air traffic control systems that led to around 2,000 flight cancellations over 48 hours.

Point-to-point flying

Speaking of airplanes, there is a new trend of smaller planes flying directly between smaller cities. That means more airplanes are taking off and landing in different places. This keeps air traffic controllers busy all the time, and they have to make sure they do not make any air traffic control mistakes and that they do not bump into each other.

Air traffic control in popular culture

Are there any air traffic control movies or books? You would be surprised how often air traffic control pops up in movies and TV shows. Maybe you have seen the movie “Pushing Tin.” It is like a Hollywood version of our job, all high drama and crazy stress. It is not exactly like our everyday life, but it shows how important and intense things can get here. Check out documentaries like “City in the Sky” or “Skies Above Britain” for a more realistic look. They show the real air traffic controllers.

What are some famous air traffic control events? The job of air traffic controllers has also been in the spotlight several times in history. The big one was the Grand Canyon mid-air collision in 1956. It was a terrible accident, but it led to big changes in air traffic controllers’ procedures and the establishment of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Then there is the “Miracle on the Hudson” incident in 2009. At that time, a pilot had to land on the Hudson River in New York City. In that case, the air traffic controllers played a huge role in helping everyone get down safely when they guided a disabled plane to an emergency landing.

Can I visit an air traffic control tower? 

Have you ever wondered what it is actually like up here in the tower? 

Believe it or not, you can sometimes schedule a visit! 

Just call the tower and see if they are giving tours.

The future of air traffic control

The aviation world is always changing and growing. Air traffic control also needs to evolve to keep up with these changes. How is air traffic control changing in the future? 

Here is how next generation air traffic control will handle it in the future.

Automation and AI integration

In the future, more and more airplanes will be flying without pilots, like drones. This means that machines will start handling interactions between these unmanned systems and ground stations, and there will be less human involvement at the same time. AI, like the platform created by Searidge, will help traffic controllers make more efficient decisions in the future.

Improving manned systems efficiency

Even with robots and AI, human air traffic controllers are still important because of the complexity of some operations. Technologies like the ADS-B will improve these systems in real-time, and there will be better route planning, improved weather decisions, and increased safety and efficiency.

Augmented reality

Imagine having a special visor that shows you flight data right on top of what you see in real life. That is what augmented reality is like for air traffic controllers. These technologies will help air traffic controllers do their jobs better in the future. For example, NASA works on systems that overlay flight data on real-world images. Thanks to this, the controllers could quickly identify and direct aircraft, especially during difficult weather conditions or night operations. 

Conclusion

Air traffic control is a tough job, but it is also a very rewarding and exciting one too. As air traffic controllers these professionals have to learn a lot and be skillful to keep planes from crashing into each other in the sky. Of course, there is always pressure on them, and air traffic control mistakes can be serious. But at the end of the day, there is no better feeling than knowing they have helped keep everyone safe in the sky.