What Does It Take To Work As An Air Traffic Controller?

Air traffic controllers manage the movement of planes in order to keep them at a safe area from one another.

Control towers, approach control facilities, and route centers are all places where air traffic controllers operate. Because they must maintain optimum focus at all times, their work can be difficult. Rotation shifts, night shifts, and weekend shifts are all prevalent.

Aspiring air traffic controllers normally need an intermediate or bachelor’s degree from an Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) programme. Candidates with three years of increasing levels of responsibility may also be accepted. A two- or four-year degree from an AT-CTI institution will, however, qualify you for a career in air traffic control because these positions are extremely competitive.

You must fulfill the minimum prerequisites to work as an air traffic controller

1. Be a citizen of the United States.

2. Pass a medical exam as well as a drug test.

3. A background check must be passed.

4. Before you turn 31, take a training program at the FAA Academy.

Students who have received a letter of recommendation from their institution after finishing the AT-CTI programme are qualified to take the Air Traffic Selection and Training test. They must also complete the FAA pre-employment test, which assesses their personality and physical health. Based on your history and the role for which you’ve been recruited, training at FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, normally lasts 2 to 5 months. Trainees are allocated to an air traffic control site as developmental controllers after qualifying from the FAA Academy. The FAA requires certification for air traffic controllers.

Air traffic controllers can complete their training in five to eight years

Also Read: What Are The Advantages Of Doing IATA?