|
|
|
SOC: 53-2021 |
Air Traffic Controllers |
|
|
Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
|
| Career Exploration Guide Index |
|
|
|
Education: |
Applicants must have 3 years of general work experience, 4 years of college, or a combination of both. Individuals must enroll in an FAA-approved education program and pass a pre-employment test that measures the applicant’s ability to learn the controller’s duties. Exceptions are air traffic controllers with prior experience and military veterans. The pre-employment test is currently offered only to students in the FAA Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative Program or the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Air Traffic Control Training Program. Applicants must also survive a week of screening at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City which includes aptitude tests and physical and psychological examinations. For airport tower and enroute center positions, applicants must be less than 31 years old.
|
|
Conditions: |
Controllers usually work a 40-hour week, but sometimes longer hours are necessary. Because control towers operate 24 hours a day employees rotate nights and weekends. Radar controllers also have the extra stress of having to work in semi-darkness, never seeing the actual aircraft they control except as a small bleep on the radarscope. Controllers who work in flight service stations work in offices close to the communications and computer equipment. The mental stress of being responsible for the safety of many aircraft and their passengers can be hard for some people.
|
|
Outlook: |
Air traffic controllers are projected to show faster than average growth over the period. Increasing air traffic and Federal regulations will require more controllers to handle the additional work. Those who continue to meet the proficiency and medical requirements enjoy more job security than do most workers. Due to the relatively high pay and good benefits, air traffic controllers often do not retire when they become eligible.
|
|
License: |
Applicants make written application, supply lengthy background information, and must pass an examination. Application and qualification procedures are lengthy and involved. Currently the air traffic test is not being administered unless an individual wishes to participate in an FAA approved educational program. Individuals can contact the Federal Aviation Administration Division of Air Traffic Controllers for information about qualification standards.
|