• The vast majority of air traffic controllers are employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an agency of the Federal Government.

• Applicants without prior air traffic control experience must be 30 years of age or younger.

• Replacement needs will continue to account for most job openings, reflecting the large number of air traffic controllers who will be eligible to retire over the next decade.

• Competition for jobs will remain keen.

The National Airspace System (NAS) is a vast network of people and equipment that ensures the safe operation of commercial and private aircraft. Air traffic controllers work within the NAS to coordinate the movement of air traffic to make certain that planes stay a safe distance apart. Their immediate concern is safety, but controllers also must direct planes efficiently to minimize delays. Some regulate airport traffic through designated airspaces; others regulate airport arrivals and departures.

Terminal controllers watch over all planes traveling in an airport's airspace. Their main responsibility is to organize the flow of aircraft into and out of the airport. They work in either the control tower or the terminal radar approach control (TRACON) room or building. Relying on visual observation, the tower local controllers sequence arrival aircraft for landing and issue departure clearances for those departing from the airport. Other controllers in the tower control the movement of aircraft on the taxiways, handle flight data, and provide flight plan clearances. Terminal radar controllers manage aircraft departing from or arriving to an airport by monitoring each aircraft’s movement on radar to ensure that a safe distance is maintained between all aircraft under their control. In addition, terminal controllers keep pilots informed about weather and runway conditions.

Many different controllers are involved in the departure of an airplane. If the plane is flying under instrument flight rule conditions, a flight plan is filed prior to departure. The tower flight data controller receives the flight plan in the form of a flight strip, which is output from a computer, and arranges it in sequence. When an aircraft calls for clearance the clearance delivery controller issues the clearance and moves the strip over to the ground controller who manages the movement of aircraft on the airport surface, except the active runway. When the aircraft arrives at the active runway the strip is moved to the local controller who issues the departure clearance, observes the takeoff and turns the plane over to the departure controller. The TRACON departure controller identifies the plane on radar, climbs it, and directs it on course.

After each plane departs, terminal controllers notify en route controllers, who take charge next. There are 20 air route traffic control centers located around the country, each employing 300 to 700 controllers, with more than 150 on duty during peak hours at the busiest facilities. Airplanes usually fly along designated routes; each center is assigned a certain airspace containing many different routes. En route controllers work either individually or in teams of two, depending on how heavy traffic is; each team is responsible for a sector of the center’s airspace.

As the plane proceeds on its flight plan to its destination it is handed off from sector to sector both within the center and to adjoining centers. To prepare for planes about to enter the team’s sector, the radar associate controller organizes flight plans output from a printer into strip bays. If two planes are scheduled to enter the team’s sector in conflict, the controller may arrange with the preceding sector unit for one plane to change its flight path or altitude. As a plane approaches a team’s airspace, the radar controller accepts responsibility for the plane from the previous sector. The controller also delegates responsibility for the plane to the next sector when the plane leaves the team’s airspace.

When the plane is approximately 50 miles from the destination airport, it is handed off to that airport’s terminal radar arrival controller who sequences it with other arrivals, and issues an approach clearance. As the plane nears the runway, the pilot is issued a clearance to contact the tower. The local controller issues the landing clearance. Once the plane has landed, the ground controller directs it along the taxiways to its assigned gate. The local and ground controllers usually work entirely by sight, but may use airport surface radar if visibility is very poor.

Both airport tower and en route controllers usually control several planes at a time, often making quick decisions about completely different activities. For example, a controller might direct a plane on its landing approach and at the same time provide pilots entering the airport's airspace with information about conditions at the airport. While instructing these pilots, the controller also might observe other planes in the vicinity, such as those in a holding pattern waiting for permission to land, to ensure that they remain well separated.

In addition to airport towers and en route centers, air traffic controllers also work in flight service stations at 17 locations in Alaska. These flight service specialists provide pilots with preflight and in-flight weather information, suggested routes, and other aeronautical information important to the safety of a flight. Flight service specialists relay air traffic control clearances to pilots not in direct communications with a tower or center, assist pilots in emergency situations, and initiate and coordinate searches for missing or overdue aircraft. At certain locations where there is no airport tower or the tower has closed for the day, flight service specialists provide airport advisory services to landing and departing aircraft. However, they are not involved in actively managing and separating air traffic.

Some air traffic controllers work at the FAA's Air Traffic Control Systems Command Center in Herndon, VA, where they oversee the entire system. They look for situations that will create bottlenecks or other problems in the system and then respond with a management plan for traffic into and out of the troubled sector. The objective is to keep traffic levels in the trouble spots manageable for the controllers working at en route centers.

During busy times, controllers must work rapidly and efficiently. Total concentration is required to keep track of several planes at the same time and to make certain that all pilots receive correct instructions. The mental stress of being responsible for the safety of several aircraft and their passengers can be exhausting. Unlike tower controllers, radar controllers also have the extra stress of having to work in semi-darkness, never seeing the actual aircraft they control except as a small “blip” on the radarscope. Controllers who work in flight service stations work in offices close to the communications and computer equipment.

Controllers work a basic 40-hour week; however, they may work additional hours, for which they receive overtime, or premium pay, or equal time off. Because most control towers and centers operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, controllers rotate night and weekend shifts. Contract towers and flight service station working conditions may vary somewhat from the FAA.

To become an air traffic controller with the FAA, a person must achieve a qualifying score on the FAA-authorized pre-employment test and meet the basic qualification requirements in accordance with Federal law. Those without prior air traffic control experience must be 30 years of age or younger.

Education and training. There are three main pathways to become an air traffic controller with the FAA. The first is air traffic controllers with prior experience through either the FAA or the Department of Defense as a civilian or veteran. Second are applicants from the general public. These applicants must have 3 years of progressively responsible full-time work experience, have completed a full 4 years of college, or a combination of both. In combining education and experience, 1 year of undergraduate study—30 semester or 45 quarter hours—is equivalent to 9 months of work experience. The third way is for an applicant to have successfully completed an aviation-related program of study through the FAA’s Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. In 2008, there were 31 schools in the AT-CTI program.

AT-CTI program schools offer 2–year or 4-year non-engineering degrees that teach basic courses in aviation and air traffic control. In addition to graduation, AT-CTI candidates need a recommendation from their school before being considered for employment as an air traffic controller by the FAA.

Candidates with prior experience as air traffic controllers are automatically qualified for FAA air traffic controller positions. However, applicants from the general public and the AT-CTI program must pass the FAA-authorized pre-employment test that measures their ability to learn the duties of a controller. The test is administered by computer and takes about 8 hours to complete. To take the test, an applicant must apply under an open advertisement for air traffic control positions and be chosen to take the examination. When there are many more applicants than available testing positions, applicants are selected randomly. However, the FAA guarantees that all AT-CTI students in good standing in their programs will be given the FAA pre-employment test. Those who achieve a qualifying score on the test become eligible for employment as an air traffic controller. Candidates must be granted security and medical clearance and are subject to drug screening. Additionally, applicants must meet other basic qualification requirements in accordance with Federal law. These requirements include United States citizenship and the ability to speak English.

Upon selection, employees attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK, for 12 weeks of training, during which they learn the fundamentals of the airway system, FAA regulations, controller equipment, and aircraft performance characteristics, as well as more specialized tasks. Graduates of the AT-CTI program are eligible to bypass the Air Traffic Basics Course, which is the first 5 weeks of qualification training at the FAA Academy.

After graduation from the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, candidates are assigned to an air traffic control facility and are classified as “developmental controllers” until they complete all requirements to be certified for all of the air traffic control positions within a defined area of a given facility. Generally, it takes new controllers with only initial controller training between 2 and 4 years, depending on the facility and the availability of facility staff or contractors to provide on-the-job training, to complete all the certification requirements to become certified professional controllers. Individuals who have had prior controller experience normally take less time to become fully certified. Controllers who fail to complete either the academy or the on-the-job portions of the training usually are dismissed. Controllers must pass a physical examination each year and a job performance examination twice each year. Failure to become certified in any position at a facility within a specified time also may result in dismissal. Controllers also are subject to drug screenings as a condition of continuing employment.

Other qualifications. Air traffic controllers must be articulate to give pilots directions quickly and clearly. Intelligence and a good memory also are important because controllers constantly receive information that they must immediately grasp, interpret, and remember. Decisiveness also is required because controllers often have to make quick decisions. The ability to concentrate is crucial because controllers must make these decisions in the midst of noise and other distractions.

Advancement. At airports, new controllers begin by supplying pilots with basic flight data and airport information. They then advance to the position of ground controller, local controller, departure controller, and, finally, arrival controller. At an air route traffic control center, new controllers first deliver printed flight plans to teams, gradually advancing to radar associate controller and then to radar controller.

Controllers can transfer to jobs at different locations or advance to supervisory positions, including management or staff jobs—such as air traffic control data systems computer specialist—in air traffic control, and top administrative jobs in the FAA. However, there are only limited opportunities for a controller to switch from a position in an en route center to a tower.

Air traffic controllers should experience about as fast as average employment growth, but most opportunities are expected to result from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons. Keen competition is expected for air traffic controller positions.

Employment change. Employment of air traffic controllers is projected to grow by 13 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Increasing air traffic will require more controllers to handle the additional work. Job growth, however, is not expected to keep pace with the increasing number of aircraft flying due to advances in technology.

The FAA is implementing an automated air traffic control system that will allow controllers to more efficiently deal with the demands of increased air traffic. It includes the replacement of aging equipment and the introduction of new systems, technologies, and procedures to enhance safety and security and support future aviation growth. Future developments will include the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to eliminate radar-based air traffic control and give controllers real-time displays of aircraft locations. This will allow for more efficient flight paths and reduced air traffic congestion, and it will also allow controllers to handle more traffic, increasing their productivity.

Job prospects. Most job opportunities are expected as the result of replacement needs from workers leaving the occupation. The majority of today's air traffic controllers will be eligible to retire over the next decade, although not all are expected to do so. Despite the increasing number of job openings for air traffic controllers, competition to get into the FAA Academy is expected to remain keen, as there generally are many more test applicants than there are openings.

Air traffic controllers who continue to meet the proficiency and medical requirements enjoy more job security than do most workers. While demand for air transportation declines during recessions, controllers are rarely laid off.

Air traffic controllers earn relatively high pay and have good benefits. Median annual wages of air traffic controllers in May 2008 were $111,870. The middle 50 percent earned between $71,050 and $143,780. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $161,010. The average annual salary, excluding overtime earnings, for air traffic controllers in the Federal Government—which employs 90 percent of all controllers—was $109,218 in March 2010.

The Air Traffic Control pay system classifies each air traffic facility into one of eight levels with corresponding pay bands. Under this pay system, controllers' salaries are determined by the rating of the facility. Higher ratings usually mean higher controller salaries and greater demands on the controller's judgment, skill, and decision-making ability.

Depending on length of service, air traffic controllers receive 13 to 26 days of paid vacation and 13 days of paid sick leave each year, in addition to life insurance and health benefits. Controllers also can retire at an earlier age and with fewer years of service than other Federal employees. Air traffic controllers are eligible to retire at age 50 with 20 years of service as an active air traffic controller or after 25 years of active service at any age. There is a mandatory retirement age of 56 for controllers who manage air traffic. However, Federal law provides for exemptions to the mandatory age of 56, up to age 61 in certain cases, but controllers must have exceptional skills and experience. Earnings and benefits for controllers working in contract towers or flight service stations may vary. Many air traffic controllers hold union membership, primarily with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Air Traffic Controllers , on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos108.htm (visited January 25, 2010).

ATC Qualification Process

1. AT-CTI Database — AT-CTI schools send names of students enrolled in their AT-CTI program to FAA, Aviation Careers, AMH-300. There is an AT-CTI database of names for tracking purposes until graduation and recommendation.

2. Proof of U.S. Citizenship — Students must complete and submit a citizenship paper proving United States citizenship after being identified to FAA by the AT-CTI school. Non-United States citizens may not test.

3. Pre-employment Test — After enrollment in an AT-CTI program, students take FAA’s authorized pre-employment test. This test determines an individual’s aptitude to become an air traffic control specialist. After achieving a qualifying score on FAA’s authorized pre-employment test, individuals are:

• Notified of their results
• Asked to complete several forms, including a geographic preference sheet and self-identity veterans' preference sheet

4. Employment Consideration — FAA bases employment consideration on:

• Successful completion of an FAA approved AT-CTI program
• An official school recommendation
• Basic qualification requirements which include:
  • Meeting the minimum and maximum age limit
  • A qualifying score on FAA’s authorized pre-employment test
Candidates who meet these requirements are eligible in the AT-CTI database to receive employment consideration for a period of two years from their graduation date.

5. School Recommendation — Candidates who do not receive a school recommendation will not be considered for this program. FAA removes their name from the AT-CTI database. Students/graduates only get recommendations once through the AT-CTI program.

6. Filling ATC Vacancies — To fill ATC vacancies, regions contact the Aviation Careers Division for a list of eligible graduates from the AT-CTI database.

7. Referral Lists — A graduate’s primary geographic preference determines the referral list. Category grouping (well-qualified/qualified) will be used when referring eligible graduates for employment consideration. Note: We only use second and third geographic preferences if there is an employment shortage in that location.

8. Pre-employment Clearing — Candidates considered for employment by the hiring region, will begin the pre-employment clearing process for:

• Suitability
• Medical
• Security

If selected by the agency, employees will attend FAA’s Academy in Oklahoma City for training.

9. Referred But Not Selected — Referred but not selected candidate’s names are returned to the AT-CTI database for future referral unless:

• The candidate's eligibility expires, or
• The candidate reaches age 31, or
• FAA selects the candidate.

10. Eligibility — Eligibility under this program:

• 2 years from the candidate's graduation date
• Is good until the candidate reaches the age of 31
• Expires if a candidate does not meet any basic qualification requirement (i.e., medical, security, or suitability)
• Expires if a candidate declines a position
• Expires when FAA selects a candidate

11. Failure to Meet Qualifications — Individuals may not reapply through this program if removed for failure to meet any qualification requirements or failure to receive recommendation from authorized school officials.

The New ATC System: NextGen Defined

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a transformation of the National Airspace System (NAS), including our national system of airports, using 21st century technologies to ensure future safety, capacity and environmental needs are met. NextGen will be realized through coordinated efforts by the FAA and the Departments of Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and Commerce, as well as NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

What is NextGen?

NextGen is an umbrella term for the ongoing, wide-ranging transformation of the United States’ national airspace system (NAS). At its most basic level, NextGen represents an evolution from a ground-based system of air traffic control to a satellite-based system of air traffic management. This evolution is vital to meeting future demand, and avoid to gridlock in the sky and at our nation’s airports.

NextGen will open America’s skies to continued growth and increased safety while reducing aviation’s environmental impact.

These goals will be realized through the development of aviation-specific applications for existing, widely-used technologies such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). They will also be realized through the fostering of technological innovation in areas such as weather forecasting, data networking, and digital communications. Hand in hand with state-of-the-art technology will be new airport infrastructure and new procedures, including the shifting of certain decision-making responsibility from the ground to the cockpit.

When fully implemented, NextGen will safely allow more aircraft to fly more closely together on more direct routes, reducing delays, and providing unprecedented benefits for the environment and the economy through reductions in carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and noise.

Why NextGen?

Despite the current economic downturn, delays repeatedly impact passenger travel and the forecasts of future demand remain high. New aviation modes are about to take flight, bringing even greater complexity to NAS operations. Though staffed by a capable, dedicated workforce, our current air traffic control system is not scalable or flexible to keep up with future demand. In addition to improving efficiency and creating additional capacity, NextGen is also needed to provide corresponding enhancements to safety and environmental performance.

Efficiency, Capacity and Future Demand

The 2008 spike in fuel prices, followed swiftly by the largest economic downturn since the Great Depression, has slowed the growth rate of U.S. aviation. Delays continue to plague the system, nonetheless; and will only grow worse as the number of passengers flying each year in the U.S. continues to rise. Delays resulting from the constraints of the current NAS already cost the United States approximately $9.4 billion annually, and that number will continue to spiral if nothing is done. Further adding to the stress of the current system is the emergence of new types of aircraft, including very light jets, unmanned aircraft systems and commercial space transportation vehicles. The current radar-based system of air traffic control that has served the United States so well for the last 60 has hit the ceiling of its growth capacity, and it simply cannot keep pace with expected demand. Without the continued implementation of NextGen, NAS gridlock is inevitable.

Safety

The United States is currently enjoying the safest period in the history of aviation. NextGen will play a critical role in ensuring that statement remains true well into the next century. As the number of aircraft flying in the NAS continues to grow, and new types of aircraft are introduced, it will be critically important for operators and controllers not only to know precisely where an aircraft is at any given moment, but also where it’s going, how fast it’s moving, and how long it’s going to take reach its destination. NextGen satellite technologies will dynamically make this information available to both pilots and controllers, with levels of accuracy and precision unattainable by radar. Even though planes will be flying more closely together, the precise information provided by NextGen will significantly increase safety by allowing pilots to know exactly where their aircraft is located in relation to other aircraft throughout all phases of flight.

Environment

While aviation is responsible for less than 4 percent of global carbon emissions, the FAA and other world aviation authorities, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), are constantly looking for ways to reduce that number even further. NextGen, by enabling more precise, direct routing and approaches, will reduce noise and decrease fuel burn, which will, in turn, further curb aviation’s environmental impact.

Career Opportunities

Whether you are in government or private industry, NextGen presents tremendous career opportunities for those who want to get in on the ground floor of this leading-edge, full-scale transformation of the U.S. air transportation system. NextGen’s success depends on the participation of a highly-trained workforce with the technical and operational expertise and the business acumen to continue to manage complex programs on time and on budget. Not counting air traffic controllers and airway systems specialists, the FAA is looking to hire more than 300 new employees over the next two years to support NextGen.