Air Traffic Control

Preparing for Safety

To be able to comprehend the methods of separating aircraft, it is necessary to be able to visualize airspace as a three-dimensional block when looking at the flat surface of a radar scope. Air traffic controllers are trained to form a mental picture of the constantly changing traffic situations taking place within their airspace of responsibility. They ensure that the traffic is kept apart by applying rules of separation that are broken down into miles, altitudes, airspeeds, and times. Remembering that three-dimensional picture, one must understand that all the aircraft that a particular controller is working are being separated vertically, laterally, longitudinally, or visually. To further complicate the air traffic picture, factor in the differences in aircraft performance capabilities, such as airspeed, climb rate, and wake turbulence situations caused by mixing larger aircraft with smaller ones.

Every procedure and every phrase to be spoken, and how it is to be spoken, is provided by the FAA in great detail in one publication. The FAA Handbook 7110.65 is the procedural bible for air traffic control operations, procedures, and phraseology. The FAA uses this publication to mold every air traffic controller and to guide them in their daily operations for the rest of their careers. This ensures uniformity and a mutual understanding of all of the safety requirements and how they are to be maintained.

Air traffic controllers begin early with the training process. The vast majority of controllers are graduates of Air Traffic–Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) schools. These are colleges and universities selected by the FAA to provide training to undergraduate students attending these institutions. The training includes classroom lectures, laboratory simulations, and assessments of the students' performance. During their training, the controllers are exposed to as many types of emergencies as possible through the use of simulation. This helps in the development of a fine-tuned response that is mostly human reflex. The students are taught that the first operational priority of air [Page 40]traffic control is to separate aircraft and to issue safety alerts. A safety alert is defined as an aircraft coming within close proximity of basically anything that will make it come to a sudden stop, such as an obstruction, terrain, or another aircraft.

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