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Most passengers pay little thought to the air traffic going on around them as they settle back and enjoy their inflight meals and entertainment. Behind the scenes, however, air traffic controllers, who are responsible for the flow of aircraft in the air and on the ground at airports, are very busy at work. They issue instructions to pilots to make sure that their use of air or tarmac space is safe and orderly for the thousands of passengers they carry.
The Earth's Eyes
Australian air traffic controllers monitor 11% of the Earth's surface, an area that runs roughly between New Zealand, South Africa and Indonesia.
''They use radar to monitor and track aircraft,'' explains Training Assurance Manager for Airservices Air Traffic Management Training, Peter Pelzer.
Enroute, Terminal Or Tower?
There are three main pathways available for air traffic controllers:
Enroute controllers are responsible for the safe management of air traffic over the Australian mainland and on oceanic routes.
Terminal area controllers manage the orderly flow of aircraft arriving and departing from major city airports.
Tower controllers are responsible for all aircraft and vehicle movements on the taxi way, runway and in the immediate vicinity of an aerodrome.
''Aptitude testing determines whether you would be better suited as a terminal, tower or enroute controller. But there are a lot of shared skills between the three areas,'' says Peter.
Depending on the type of air traffic control work you do, your duties may include directing pilots out of a bay and on to the tarmac ready for take off or, as Peter Pelzer describes,
''Using radar equipment, enroute controllers can monitor and track aircraft, ensuring that pilots stay on an assigned air route and at the correct altitude.'' Via radio, controllers also issue instructions to pilots.
In addition to the daily management of routine traffic, air traffic controllers also provide information and assistance to pilots should they experience an inflight emergency.
Air Traffic Control Gets Centralised
Previously, enroute controllers were based around the country and were responsible for specific geographical areas. Now, enroute control for all of Australia has been concentrated in just two centres, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The other significant change is the increasing automation of air traffic control equipment.
''Radars for instance, have undergone major change, so air traffic controllers are expected to be more computer literate. You've got to be more comfortable using a mouse and keypad than pen and paper,'' says Peter Pelzer.
Speedy, Accurate Decisions
The nature of this job requires that air traffic controllers must be able to make quick and accurate decisions regarding an aircraft's position. To do this, you need sound general and numeric reasoning skills, good listening and comprehension skills as well as the ability to process information quickly. You need to be able to work individually as well as part of a close team.
Air traffic controllers work 72 hours a fortnight and are required to work shifts, on any day of the year. Shifts are rotated, as are days off.
Salaries range from approximately $49,000 per year during final field training, to $130,000 for controllers with several years' experience. Trainees' salaries increase to approx $65,400 per year upon initial rating (ATC endorsement and licensing). For more current salary information you can contact Airservices Australia or the Australian Defence Force directly.
If you're interested in a career with the military, the Australian Defence Force also employs air traffic controllers.
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