Future Job : What is Air Traffic Controller?

Holaaa! How's your day? is the dreams you wish has been achieved yet? Lately, have been very sad for me. I learned to survive in real world, working world is really hard. Deadlines, Pressure, Loneliness, i could feel all of them in this cold-hearted world. I finally feel what was my parents feeling when they are home after working all day long. I dont know where to lean on when i feel tired and lonely, cause everything seems so far away , friends, boyfriend, family. The only thing i have is social media, it is the way i could communicate with them. Lets call it as a Long Distance Relationship.

I never dream to be an Air Traffic Controller before, but the only thing i know about aviation is that since i was kid ,  i love seeing plane taking off or landing in a runway. So, it was the reason why i choose ATC as my major . I remembered , i felt happiest when my mom ask me to picked up or drop off dad in the airport. It means i could saw planes! my hometown have a small airport , and after entering the gate , on the right side, the airport management provide a small place to let the urban people to saw planes, it was my favorite places on the earth , so whenever my mom invited me to the airport , i always ask her to go to that place. Airport also being the luxuries place i have ever seen. Luxuries i mean here is a precious time to meet people you love the most. Accompanying special person when he/she just arrive or will be depart. I feel really happy when i pick up my mom or dad in the airport , seeing him or her the first time after long time apart, waiting for them to get out from the arrival gate, searching for their face, and when you finally find them , it was the happiest feeling in the world! :)

So here i am, ended with a hope that i can be an Air Traffic Controller soon. A job in the hardest level, you are wrong if you say that controlling an aircraft is easy. It is not that easy as you control car or other transportation. Its complicated. I will explain about how do Air Traffic Controller work.

So first, let me tell you what is the meaning of  Air Traffic Controller. ATC is a person or unit that fully responsible to guide aircraft landing or taking off safely. even if the aircraft are full controlled by pilot, but ATC have a job to guide those both pilot and the aircraft safely . Because in the air,  pilot cant see whats outside or behind them, they dont have a rearview miror (spion). So, they need ATC to guide them. ATC are divided into 3 unit. These unit have different frequency and contribute each other.

 An Air Traffic Controller

The first unit is Aerodrome Control Tower (ADC) , This unit have responsibility to controlling the aircraft within the vicinity of aerodrome or you know it as airport. Begin from the aircraft Pushback , Taxi, Take off , Landing, its all about aircraft's movement  around the airport. ADC normally have responsibility area around 2000ft and 5 nm.  ADC have 3 objective, as a Ground Controller, Clearance Delivery Unit and Tower Controller. Not every airport have these 3 units. In Juanda Surabaya for example, They only have Ground Controller and Tower Controller. Usually small aircraft only have Tower controller , they will combine the unit and taking over other unit jobs. This unit controlling the aircraft visual by eyes but some airport use radar too as extra equipment.

Second unit is Approach Control unit (APP). Approach unit taking over aircraft on higher level than ADC, its between 2000 ft until 10.000ft. After the aircraft reach the defined flight level , they will transferred from ADC to this unit. APP use radar to monitoring the traffic.

Radar monitor used by ATC to help their job

and then the last one is Area Control unit (ACC). ACC provide information for aircraft flying within 10.000 ft until 46.000 ft. Indonesia have 2 Area control, they are Jakarta FIR (Flight information Region) and Ujung Pandang FIR. So ACC is the highest level of ATC unit, they use a radar to control the aircraft.

This is a Schema of each Control unit that can help you to understand

As a skykeeper ATC have 5 Objectives, They are:

1. Prevent collision between aircraft
2. Prevent collision between aircraft on the manoeuvring area and obstruction on that area
3. Expedite and maintain an orderly flow of air traffic
4. Provide advice and information useful for the efficient conduct of flight
5. Notify appropriate organization regarding aircraft in need of search and rescue aid, and assist such organization as required.

In aviation we have a language called Phraseology. its a familiar language as english, but its different. All pilot and ATC around the world should use this language when they are communicate each other. this is useful to avoiding misscommunication between them. But when emergency, plain language are permitted. Sometimes as an ATC i cant hear whats the pilot saying because his/her dialect eventough they are using phraseology :(
The example of Phraseology are:

"Taxi to holding point runway ... , via ...."
"Push back approved heading/facing ..., runway..."
"Start up approved, temperature... dew point..."
"Runway ..., Clear for take off"
"Runway..., Clear to land."

What makes this job seems hard is because ATC have a big responsibility of controlling Air Traffic, they have to make sure the flow of traffic in the air or in the ground running smoothly. This is not a joke, because there are so many people in the aircraft. When radar not works well, or the visibility below minima. ATC should make sure that the air traffic flow is still good. They have to work all of their mind, eyes, ears, mouth, and a skill to push mic button together when they are controlling. So dont underestimate Air Traffic Control jobs because its not as easy as you think :)




December 2017,
Essa

P.S its just me with my own writting about ATC, dont get it too serious if i am wrong in spelling or writting just tell me so i can be better, thank you!