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What They Do
About This Career
Controls 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. Authorizes, regulates, and controls commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
This career is part of the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster Transportation Systems/Infrastructure Planning, Management and Regulation pathway.
A person in this career:
- Informs pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Issues landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
- Provides flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
- Transfers control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accepts control of arriving flights.
- Alerts airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Monitors or directs the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- Directs pilots to runways when space is available or directs them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
- Monitors aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- Directs ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers.
- Contacts pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
- Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
- Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
- Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
- Seeing clearly at a distance
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
- Rotating shift work
- Weekend work
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Tower Air Traffic Controller (Tower ATC)
- Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS)
- Center Air Traffic Controller (Center ATC)
- Enroute Air Traffic Controller (Enroute ATC)
- Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal ATC Specialist)
- Certified Professional Controller (CPC)
- Control Tower Operator
- Radar Air Traffic Controller
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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