How to Become an Air Traffic Controller
Post-secondary training and practical experience are required to enter the field as an air traffic controller. Air traffic controllers must also be U.S. citizens per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. This job market is in decline, and those interested in a career as an air traffic controller can expect significant competition for available jobs.
Air Traffic Controller Career Information
An air traffic controller directs and monitors aircraft, maintains safety, and informs pilots about weather conditions and flight paths. Some controllers direct aircraft through airspace, while other controllers regulate arrivals and departures. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employs most air traffic controllers and usually requires them to complete air traffic controller school at the FAA academy.
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Duties of an Air Traffic Controller
Air traffic controllers regulate air traffic either within an airport's airspace or air traffic between airports. Some of the specific tasks that they perform include:
- Authorizing landings and departures: Air traffic controllers tell the pilots of aircraft when they can safely land or take off without colliding with other aircraft.
- Communicating weather changes: Air traffic controllers have sophisticated radar and computer equipment that monitors weather, wind, and visibility conditions so that they can keep pilots informed of these.
- Directing flight paths: Air traffic controllers direct the flight paths of planes so that they depart and arrive in an orderly fashion.
- Supervising ground traffic: This important job also falls on air traffic controllers who provide guidance to planes as they navigate airport runways. They also order emergency teams to respond to landing aircraft in distress.
- Giving flight path guidance to aircraft: Air traffic controllers monitor the flight paths of aircraft as they fly to their destination. They help aircraft to avoid collisions with tall objects and with other aircraft.
Different Types of Air Traffic Controllers
There are a number of different types of air traffic controllers, each having a different focus on some aspect of the air travel journey. These include:
- Approach controller: This air traffic controller helps aircraft prepare for landing. If runway traffic is heavy, the approach controller may order the aircraft to continue flying in a holding pattern until a runway clears so that the plane may safely land.
- Clearance controller: This air traffic controller prepares aircraft for departure from the airport. Along with the approach controller, this controller works in a building called a TRACON, or Terminal Radar Approach Control Center. This center contains the radar equipment that is used to plan takeoffs and landings.
- Tower controller: Tower controllers are air traffic controllers who can actually see airport traffic from the tower in which they work. They direct all traffic in the airport area and up to 30 miles out.
- En route controller: After an aircraft departure, control is handed over to the en route controller. This controller provides guidance for the aircraft along its flight path, handing control to the approach controller once it is ready to land.
| Required Education | Combination of 2-4 years of post-secondary education and experience |
| Other Requirements | Pass Air Traffic Standardized Aptitude Test (AT-SAT); complete 2-5 months training at FAA Academy |
| Certification | Must obtain Air Traffic Control Tower Operator Certificate to work independently |
| Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)* | 1% (for all air traffic controllers) |
| Median Salary (2019)* | $122,990 (for air traffic controllers) |
Source:*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Air Traffic Controller: Requirements
Most air traffic controllers are employed through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). For those employed by the FAA, air traffic controller qualifications include being a U.S. citizen and passing a background investigation and medical examination.
There are three ways to meet the air traffic controller education and training requirements with the FAA. The first option is to gain military experience as an air traffic controller. The second is to complete an aviation degree at a college or university through the FAA's Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program. The final option to meet air traffic controller requirements is to complete either three years of progressively responsible job experience, a bachelor's degree or a combination of the two. Those who fulfill the requirements of either of the latter two options will also be required to attend the FAA's Air Traffic Control Academy, which takes several weeks or months to complete. Students in air traffic controller school are reimbursed for living expenses.
Air traffic controllers work shift work, and their job requires total concentration at all times. This is a high-stress field that is currently experiencing job decline, and those planning to become air traffic controllers will face significant competition for available jobs.
General and Personal Requirements of an Air Traffic Controller
Air traffic controllers must possess a number of personal characteristics in order to succeed in their field, as the work is often fast-paced and stressful. Some of the air traffic controller qualifications that must be met by these professionals include:
- Ability to solve problems: Air traffic controllers must be able to deal with changing weather patterns and similar issues that can affect an aircraft's flight path and must quickly advise pilots accordingly.
- Math comprehension: An understanding and ability to apply math concepts is essential for air traffic controllers. They use this skill to make computations related to flight and to recommend course headings.
- Ability to focus: In the work environment of air traffic controllers, much information is always coming to the controller and he or she must be able to maintain focus.
- Excellent communication skills: Air traffic controllers must be able to communicate clearly with the rest of the flight teams. They must understand the terminology and communication standards in all flight situations.
Certification, Licensing, and Registration for Air Traffic Controllers
All air traffic controllers must be at least 18 years of age and be fluent in English. They must have an Air Traffic Control Tower Operator Certificate or meet the requirements outlined in CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Title 14, Part 65. This code states that those air traffic controllers not serving in the military must also hold a medical certificate that documents their physical fitness for the job.
Air Traffic Controller Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual atc salary in May 2019 was $122,990. The average annual air traffic control salary of an atc employed by the federal government was $123,060 in the same year (ww.bls.gov). The BLS states that in 2019, the federal government employed 20,220 of the country's 22,090 air traffic controllers. Employment of air traffic controllers is expected to show little or no change between 2019 and 2029, according to the BLS, and competition for air traffic controller jobs is expected to be high.
