Traveling on a plane can be stressful. The airports are usually crowded, you might lose your luggage, and takeoff is a little nerve-wracking. But, most people don’t think about the people responsible for the takeoffs, landings, and organization of flights: Air traffic controllers.
So, why is being an air traffic controller so stressful? Air traffic controllers run the day-to-day operations at an airport. They approve landings and takeoffs, maintain runway safety, communicate with pilots, and monitor flights. If an air traffic controller is slacking, a plane might run into bad weather or be left unmonitored mid-flight.
Most people have no idea what air traffic controllers do at all! So, we’re first going to go over what the typical job duties look like.
The Job Duties of an Air Traffic Controller
Air traffic controllers do a lot of the “behind the scenes” work at an airport. Yet, they’re also responsible for keeping each task at the airport running smoothly. Air traffic controllers are there from the takeoff to the landing, and every single step in between.
They keep an eye on the airport’s ground traffic to make sure there aren’t any collisions and that the gates are cleared. They walk pilots through landing and takeoff and offer any weather or flight alerts. Then, they transfer flights accordingly after they’ve left their air zone.
Controlling Ground Traffic
One of the most important responsibilities of air traffic controllers is keeping runways organized. That means making sure that planes are landing where they’re supposed to and taking off from a gate that’s already been cleared.
They also make sure that the runways are open for new airplanes that are landing at the airport. They keep a close eye on any potential weather changes to be sure that it’s safe for new flights to take off.
Landing and Takeoff Instructions
There’s a lot that an air traffic controller must do before a plane can take off from their airport. They first have to make sure that there aren’t any storms brewing nearby and that there’s a completely clear flight path.
Air traffic controllers approve a flight plan and allow the plane to move from the gate. They guarantee that there’s an absolutely clear path on the runway and that no other planes or vehicles will get in the way.
Then, air traffic controllers provide instructions to the pilots to help with the takeoff. They let them know which way they should be taxiing and which runway is open and ready for takeoff.
Using Radars and Communication
A lot of being an air traffic controller involves understanding radars and communication devices. They’re responsible for monitoring weather and flight radars and recommended flight delays when storms or fog become dangerous.
Air traffic controllers are in constant contact with their pilots and other air traffic control facilities via radio. Once a plane leaves its air zone, they’re responsible for transferring the flight to the new zone (as well as accepting new flights into their zone).
Transferring to Other Controllers
All flights are monitored at all times by air traffic controllers for maximal safety. Each air traffic control facility is assigned a specific air zone and is responsible for every plane that enters and exits its zone while flying.
So, that means that air traffic controllers need to be skilled at handing off flights to the next zone. This typically occurs a few minutes before a flight leaves their zone and requires direct communication with the next zone. That means providing the flight information to the new zone.
What Makes Being an Air Traffic Controller So Stressful
Just looking at some of the job duties of an air traffic controller, you might already be able to figure out why the job is so stressful. Without competent air traffic controllers, planes would collide on the runways, encounter bad weather mid-flight, or be left unmonitored.
But, there’s a lot more to a job than the tasks you’ll be performing. When it comes to air traffic controllers, some of the most stressful aspects of the job include the need to multitask, work long stressful hours, and maintain the safety of flights and citizens.
Multi-Tasking
Keep an eye on the weather. Make sure the runway is cleared. Schedule landings. Approve flight plans. Transfer new flights over and accept new flights into your zone. Communicate with pilots and alert them of flight updates.
Now….do that all at the same time.
Doing one of these tasks on its own can be difficult for the average person, let alone doing all of them at once. You need to be able to bounce around from task to task with ease without letting any responsibilities fall on the back burner.
Long Hours
The hours aren’t all that long in terms of length, usually requiring 8-hour shifts five days a week. But, when you realize just how mentally draining the tasks and immense amount of concentration actually is, you’ll be exhausted only a few hours in.
That’s exactly why some air traffic controllers have unique shift patterns. They might have to work for two hours and then be given a 30-minute break before returning back to their duties.
Even more stressful is the sleep schedule. Since planes take off and land at all hours of the day, you’ll likely be working day shifts, night shifts, weekend shifts, and even holidays.
Responsible for Safety of Planes, Pilots, and Passengers
It’s safe to say that airports wouldn’t be able to function without air traffic controllers monitoring every aspect of an airport’s functioning. Just think about how an airport would work if there weren’t air traffic controllers.
There would be collisions on the runway.
Pilots wouldn’t know which gates were clear for takeoff and which direction other planes were taxiing in. There would be planes, baggage carts, and other airport vehicles crossing paths on the runways and in the holding areas, which is potentially very dangerous.
There would be planes left unattended.
A stationary plane left unattended isn’t the biggest safety issue, but a plane mid-flight definitely is. Without an air traffic controller monitoring their flight path, they might get too close to another plane or head in a direction where there’s a heavy storm or fog. If there’s an emergency mid-flight, there’s nobody to report it to.
Takeoffs and landings would be a shot in the dark.
There’s no way that pilots would know whether it’s safe to land or takeoff. They might begin the process of landing at a nearby airport only to realize that every gate is taken and that there’s no room for their plane to land. There’s a 100% chance that a majority of flights would be delayed.
Safety would be non-existent.
Surprisingly, planes are considered one of the safest forms of travel in the world. But, that’s because of air traffic controllers. Without them, planes would crash, run out of fuel while looking for a new airplane to land at, or never take off.
Now, just think about the sheer amount of responsibilities that air traffic controllers have and you’ll begin to realize just how stressful this job really is.
Conclusion
If you don’t know much about airports, then you might not realize the huge role taken on by air traffic controllers. They’re solely responsible for how an airport functions. One small mistake can be extremely dangerous or even fatal. Here’s why being an air traffic controller is so stressful.
- They’re completely responsible for the safety of flights, citizens, and pilots, which is extremely stressful in itself.
- They have to be able to multitask effectively for hours on end.
- They work nights, days, weekends, and holidays.
Recommended Course!
