Factor
Woodstock, VA
Male, 65
My life in ATC began with 4 years Air Force then another 30 years with the Federal Aviation Admin. working tower & radar at some big international airports. I fought in the 1981 war with PATCO, survived the strike and kept a job that was just too exhilarating to walk away from. While there was nothing better than working airplanes, I did move on through several air traffic supervisory and management positions. It was a long, crazy career but I wouldn't trade a moment of it for love or lucre!
That’s a very simple, straightforward question! So here I go with another long and convoluted answer. I know, I know. There’s that old adage that says to never give ‘em more information than they asked for. Generally good advice but I don’t think it applies here on Jobstr. If people are interested enough to write; they probably want a response that’ll actually help them understand the subject. And uhh, one day I hope to produce such a response! But for now; just read on and test your attention span.
First off; the optimum time on a control position is different than the time limit defined in FAA’s labor agreement with the controller’s union (National Air Traffic Controllers Association). I’m not sure whether that limit has changed since I left the FAA but it used to be two hours. The time limit for working a control position was established back in the 1970s because controllers were frequently being left bleeding to death on very busy positions with no relief in sight. By the time someone showed up to give them a break, they were beyond exhausted. Depending on conditions; even a 90 minute stint could shred your nerves like confetti. I’ll just say this lead to safety issues.
Defining the optimum time on position isn’t as easy as it sounds. “Optimum” is probably one of the original fifty shades of gray. I had one friend who would awake before dawn and drive 1,100 miles to visit his girlfriend in the Florida Keys. He’d stop only for gas or the men’s room. Sixteen hours at the wheel didn’t bother him at all. But me? Driving more than eight hours would probably get me into a news headline that began with the word “Tragic.” Another friend I worked with would become irritable if he was left on a busy sector for more than 60 minutes. In time, the best ATC Supervisors learned what the “optimum” time on position was for each of their controllers and tried to get them relieved before they burst into flames. We were all different; kind of like the contents of that ‘junk drawer’ in your kitchen. Don’t have a junk drawer? I’ll send you a starter kit.
As to the break time; that depended on factors like who you were working for (Captain Bligh or Captain Kangaroo), how busy the shift was or the individual controller’s work ethic. If a controller had taken a particularly brutal beating on a position; most Supervisors would allow them a little extra break time if they could. Some controllers would either refuse a break altogether or take a very short one if they knew their teammates needed them. Then there were the controllers who’d milk their break until an angry Supervisor came and chased them back to work. The optimum break time was always as subjective as the optimum amount of time on position.
Thanks for writing and for making it to the end of this response!
Cheers,
Factor
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Hi Emilio. From what I read and hear, the days of being able to keep secrets are gone. But, to your question, the process by which pilots could alert air traffic control to a hijack situation never was a secret. Pilots and controllers alike are trained in notification and response procedures. Whenever there are changes made to hijack response procedures and procedures for handling other special situations, the Federal Aviation Administration has systems in place to alert all concerned parties. Although most of it is unclassified and available to all, you probably wouldn’t see it unless you were involved in either ATC or flying airplanes.
Back in simpler times, when people were hijacking airliners to Cuba or D. B. Cooper was hijacking for the chance to skydive for dollars, the pilot’s response was relatively unknown by all but those in the aviation industry. With a hijacker in the cockpit, it might be a bit awkward for pilots to broadcast the situation to controllers until the hijacker wanted it known. However; a simple change to the aircraft’s transponder (a special radio that transmits a continuous, cryptic broadcast to ATC radar equipment) could surreptitiously alert controllers to the situation without the hijacker’s knowledge. Those days are probably gone as well. The 9/11 hijackers were obviously well schooled in transponder operation and made sure the equipment was either disabled or never set to the appropriate code broadcast.
Thanks for writing!
Factor
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Hi Liv. Your question is most interesting because there are so many ways to answer! It’s like asking if there is a particular electrical appliance that should not be plugged in and thrown into the bathtub while someone is bathing. There are so many!
In answering your question, I suppose I need to separate, in my own mind, the character traits that are merely annoying from the ones that make ATC the wrong choice for a career. There are also common traits shared by every successful controller I’ve worked with. Lacking one of these traits may not completely disqualify a person for the job but they may wish it had. Keep in mind that what I say here is based solely on my experience and opinions. Far from scientific.
One trait I believe should disqualify an ATC candidate is an inability to track several developing situations simultaneously, take action on each one at a precise moment while assessing new situations as they develop and predicting when they’ll need further attention. Whew! If the aspiring controller can’t manage an ever changing air traffic picture continuously, over the course of one or two hours; they might want to seek a different profession. Unfortunately, deficiencies in this area are usually uncovered sometime after the candidate has been hired. Pre-employment aptitude tests are no substitute for the crucible of a live air traffic control facility.
Another ‘must have’ trait is self-motivation. Controllers work independently; without direct supervision. Normally, there won’t be someone there to tell them what to do and when to do it. If our candidate is the kind of person who needs frequent direction and guidance to get through the workday; they should stay away from ATC.
A good controller must also be able to accept, if not embrace, change. The ATC environment is constantly changing. It’s not just the volume, type and complexity of air traffic either. There are continuous changes in weather conditions and changes on the airport surface that require controllers to immediately adjust. And let’s not forget about technological changes. ATC equipment – the tools of a controller’s trade – are ever changing. New aircraft, such as the Boeing Dreamliner, are coming on line and with them; new flight characteristics the controllers must adjust to.
There are the more obvious ‘show-stoppers’ such as substance abuse, alcoholism, and flatulence. (Maybe I’m just kidding about the flatulence but try spending several hours in the confines of a control tower with someone who has it!)
I could go on but don’t want to bore you. The bottom line is; there are several behavior or character traits that don’t really work well in the ATC environment. Unfortunately, the FAA’s pre-employment screening process isn’t 100 percent effective.
Thanks for a great question! Hope I wasn’t too long-winded.
Cheers,
Factor
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Hello again and thanks for your questions! The subject of employment prospects may bring different responses, depending on who you ask. Controllers, especially those working in the busiest ATC facilities, will likely say they need more help. I worked in very busy places where the normal “minimum” staffing levels could quickly turn into “critical” staffing levels due to vacation schedules, sick leave and controllers on special details to administrative tasks. Throw in some bad weather, unusually high traffic demand or unplanned equipment outages and you’d end up with a bunch of drained and disgruntled people by shift’s end. Had you asked me your first question at the end of such a shift; I’d have said we needed more controllers, as soon as possible!
Management’s view varied; depending on how far they were from the epicenter of discontent. Shift supervisors generally felt the same heat as their controllers during a busy, understaffed shift. They’d usually agree we needed more help. The front office’s response was to point out that perhaps too much leave was approved or that not enough overtime was called in. The regional office, far from the immediacy of a hectic, understaffed shift, would only see the facility’s authorized staffing levels, performance figures (traffic count figures) and other numbers that belied the challenges associated with them.
FAA should also be mindful of the attrition rate of controllers due to retirement. Succession planning is an important factor in current and future staffing levels. Then, of course, somewhere far above our level, there are congressional committees working with the FAA on its annual budget request. Those folks are about as far from a controller’s daily reality as you can get. It’s like a crazy analogy where the leaves in the treetops place limits on how big the roots grow.
We should also keep in mind that the FAA is always seeking new technology that might automate certain controller functions, thus decreasing their recruitment needs.
Was my career worth it? Even with the occasionally unpleasant variables, I’d have to say emphatically; yes! I always considered myself lucky to have the best job there was. Like sky diving, sports car racing or skating on thin ice; it was a thrill - as long as nothing went wrong.
Sorry I had to give such convoluted answers to your “two simple questions.” Sometimes I drink too much coffee in the morning.
Cheers,
Factor
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It’s high time for this question Starberry. Although we magicians are never supposed to reveal our secrets; I’ll share a little aviation magic with you – like how an airplane can gain around 100 extra knots of groundspeed, save fuel and shorten the time enroute to its destination. The trick involves using a relatively narrow band of fast moving upper air current known as the jetstream.
Although it shifts around from day to day, the jetstream remains basically a West to East wind that can be found in the 23,000 to 39,000 foot range. The altitudes commercial and other types of flights use, such as those you mentioned, are often based on where the jetstream happens to be that day. Pilots will want to get their plane into it and take advantage of the boost in speed this powerful wind can give them. Conversely, if the direction of their flight happens to run opposite to the jetstream, pilots will try to plan their route and altitude so as avoid it. After all; being able to shave 30 minutes or so off a transcontinental flight is truly magical! On the other hand; adding additional flight time because you picked a route and altitude that put you into that hefty headwind is more ‘tragical’ than magical.
Thanks for writing,
Factor
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Howdy Arizonagirl13 and welcome to my tiny piece of Jobstr real estate. Looks like it’s time to pay the rent! You’ve posed an excellent question and I’m hoping my answer will keep me from being evicted.
Although it is true that English is recognized worldwide as the language of air traffic control, I am sure there are occasional deviations. Pilots in non-English speaking countries who fly in and out of airports that handle only regional traffic probably converse with controllers in their native language. Why not? Their home language is familiar to all concerned, so there is less chance for any misunderstandings. I’ve worked as a controller at a foreign airport and know this to be true. However, if one of those pilots had to use an airport that handled flights from other countries; that pilot had better be familiar with the jargon of ATC in English. The same principle would apply if an English speaking pilot arrived at a foreign, regional airport. The controllers there would be expected to do their work in English.
If pilots and controllers are not on the same page (language-wise), chaos can quickly gain momentum. The foreign airport I mentioned above was actually a joint-use military base and a glaring exception to the ATC language standards. Our tower was staffed with both American and locally grown controllers. The locals were responsible for any flights operated by pilots of their own nationality; using their native language. We worked all our traffic in English. As if that wasn’t chaotic enough, there was an interpreter in the tower, who’s job it was to keep each set of controllers advised about what was going on. Without someone with knowledge of both languages to translate, neither side knew what the other was doing. Unfortunately for all of us, our interpreter was about as helpful as a rodeo clown in a slaughterhouse. Inattentive, lazy and frequently absent, we all learned to work around him and deal with the mayhem on our own. All that to say that clear communication between everyone involved in maintaining safety of flight is essential; no matter what part of the planet the planes are flying in.
Thanks for writing and I hope my answer was helpful.
Cheers,
Factor
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Hi there, “ATC Wannabe.” I really hate it when I can’t answer a reader’s question but just going to have to buck up and admit defeat. I have no idea what O”Hare or the Great Lakes Regional Office’s hiring policies are. O”Hare Airport is within The Great Lakes Region’s authority. As in the previous reader’s question, I recommend you call the Great lakes Region when you are ready and ask them about ATC job openings. I also recommend you take your friend’s opinion as well intended but likely to be uninformed. As a “high schooler” – you have plenty of time to position yourself as a viable ATC candidate - anywhere.
As to the idea of starting your career off in one of the many busy facilities; there are differing opinions. The skeptics and those motivated by ego will say you must be an experienced and exceptional controller before setting foot in the door. While I understand their argument I disagree. Having started my own FAA career in a very busy facility, I can attest to the benefits of learning how to handle complex and heavy traffic conditions right off the bat. I also know that, later in my career, when I was training folks who transferred in from less active facilities, it was hard breaking them of their more laid back work habits. When you start off in a busy place, you learn to work quickly and efficiently. Plus; the steady pace of traffic makes for more frequent and meaningful training opportunities. This is something the smaller facilities can’t always provide.
I’m happy to hear of your enthusiasm for air traffic control and wish you all the best in your pursuit of a career.
Cheers,
Factor
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