Air traffic controller : Job description

Air traffic controllers maintain the safe and orderly movement of aircraft along major air routes and around airports by giving pilots instructions and advice as to height, speed and course.

There are three types of air traffic controllers: area, approach and aerodrome controllers. The majority of controllers, around 80%, work at control centres as area controllers and are responsible for keeping aircraft flying the airways.

Approach controllers deal with aircraft movement into and out of an airport, while aerodrome controllers guide aircraft through landing and to the terminal.

Over 2.2million freight and passenger flights take off or land in the UK, or pass through UK airspace, every year. Air traffic controllers usually have a number of aircraft under their control at any one time.

Typical work activities

Tasks involve:

• keeping radio and/or radar contact with aircraft;
• directing the movement of aircraft en route or at an airport;
• instructing aircraft to climb or descend and allocating final cruising level;
• providing information to aircraft about weather conditions;
• making sure that minimum distances are maintained between planes;
• handling unexpected events, emergencies and unscheduled traffic.

Approach controllers are based at a control centre or an airport tower. They guide and sequence aircraft into the most efficient order for landing.

This includes dealing with instrument landing systems, which allow some planes to make automatic landings, and making sure that planes are placed in holding patterns when airports are busy.

Aerodrome controllers guide the aircraft through landing and to its parking stand at the terminal. Their roles may be further sub-divided into air control and ground control at very busy airports. Their activities include:

• controlling movements onto and off runways;
• handling the ground movement of planes around the terminals;
• handling the ground movement of vehicles around the airport.