Air traffic control training. How do air traffic controllers work?

An air traffic controller is an aviation employee who monitors and maintains air traffic from his workplace in the control tower. Its main task is to ensure the safe and orderly movement of various aircraft.

In terms of psycho-emotional load, the profession of an air traffic controller is considered one of the most responsible and dangerous, because this specialist is responsible for the safety of not only equipment, but also human lives.

Places of work

The position of air traffic controller is in demand in airport control services.

Responsibilities of an air traffic controller

Main job responsibilities air traffic controller:

• Aircraft traffic control within its area of ​​responsibility control center.
• Strict adherence to regulations governing the work of air traffic controllers.
• Constant communication with the crews of reporting aircraft and colleagues from adjacent areas of responsibility.
• Interaction with weather services and prompt use of information provided by them for the purposes of aircraft control.

Requirements for an air traffic controller

Main requirements for an air traffic controller:

• Higher specialized education.
• Conclusion of a medical expert commission on professional suitability.
• Knowledge of English (according to international standards).

Considering the specifics of the work, the functions of an air traffic controller can only be performed by people with special training and high physical and emotional endurance. But there is also a significant “plus” in this work - the right to early retirement (men at 50, women at 45).

How to become an air traffic controller

To become an air traffic controller, you need to undergo serious training: 3-4 years in specialized secondary schools and 5 years in higher educational institutions. In addition, every 3 years an airline dispatcher undergoes advanced training courses, and every 2-3 years he confirms a valid air traffic controller certificate.

Air traffic controller salary

The salary of an air traffic controller was not found in open sources, because... There are no vacancies on employment sites. Generally speaking, the hiring and training of dispatchers is carried out by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "State ATM Corporation" and its branches ("Aeronavigation") and the pay rates are announced personally. According to reviews, the average salary for an air traffic controller is very competitive and decent.

An air traffic controller is a conductor who controls the orchestra of aircraft turbines in the heavens. The dispatcher is also a talented artist who paints unique pictures of aircraft tracks on the azure sky. Well, if you try to describe the profession of an air traffic controller in official words, it turns out that this is a specialist who controls the movement of aircraft from the ground. The primary responsibility of an air traffic controller is to ensure the orderly and safe movement of ships in the area for which he is responsible.

The duties of an air traffic controller include informing crews about the meteorological situation, both en route and at airports, as well as maintaining communication with pilots. Messages must be exchanged in accordance with radio communication rules. In addition, the dispatcher must enter data into automated systems so that they can correctly assess the situation in the airspace.

It is the air traffic controller who must maintain safety in the event that an unexpected situation arises in the air. It also controls the movement of the aircraft if there is little fuel left on board, and also creates safe distance. Monitoring the quality of communication and the condition of radio equipment is also the prerogative of air traffic controllers. In unfavorable weather conditions, air traffic controllers provide assistance and, if necessary, redirect ships to other airfields for landing. When conducting search or rescue operations, if aviation is involved, the dispatcher coordinates the direction of these operations. Profession air traffic controller description

Air traffic controller is common name profession, which includes several specialties.

Dispatcher at the control tower at the airfield. His tasks include drawing up a flight plan for the day and coordinating this plan with dispatchers at other airports.

Dispatcher at the departure service point authorizes flight on the declared course indicated in the plan. Permission is issued on the basis of information supplied from the control center.

Taxi Manager operates aircraft and airport services only on its territory. Only this dispatcher gives the right to start the engines of ships and controls the aircraft while moving along the control tracks and gives the go-ahead for the preliminary start.

Landing and launch controller controls aircraft on the take-off and landing strips, permits the take-off and landing of aircraft.

Circle Manager allows arriving ships to land, and gives instructions to departing ships to begin their initial climb.

Manager approach and assigns the order of approach of vessels when landing, and also builds certain intervals of takeoff and landing separation.

District center dispatcher carries out control over the horizontal movement of vessels within the areas that are established for it along the air routes running in the area of ​​its responsibility and beyond.

There are also specialties of a local air route dispatcher and an informant dispatcher. These people work far from air hubs and routes with heavy traffic.

To work as an air traffic controller, you must have certain qualities and meet certain requirements:

– exceptional state of health, and the requirements are the same as for the health of pilots;
– high responsibility;
– resistance to stress;
– good physical fitness;
– ability to concentrate;
- fast reaction;
– excellent memory;
– ability to count quickly;
– ability to navigate in space;
– have spatial thinking.

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the profession of a pilot, linguist and bartender.

The controller must be able to select the necessary information from a variety of messages, as well as be able to imagine the position of aircraft in space at this moment and after a certain travel time.

This profession appeared at a time when air flights became widespread and it was necessary to establish certain flight rules, as well as provide radio communications and flight control. After this, an air traffic control system appeared, where the dispatcher controls the process of aircraft movement. And traffic safety depends on the dispatcher.

If you imagine for a second a situation where the dispatcher simply did not show up for work. Immediately there will be real chaos in the air. Hundreds of planes will fly in different directions at different altitudes, and even in poor visibility. It's scary to even think about this. This is precisely why the dispatcher must have good diction and the ability to correctly assess the situation in the air and instantly respond to any changes.

Although the profession of an air traffic controller is considered romantic and creative, it, like other professions, has not only positive sides, but also quite serious disadvantages.

Among the advantages I would like to note:

– the salary of an air traffic controller in Moscow and other cities is quite high;
– vacation of longer duration;
– medical insurance;
– free flight once a year.

The disadvantages of the profession are significant:

– constant state of stress;
– shift work schedule;
– errors by air traffic controllers can lead to criminal liability.

Despite the presence of stressful situations, the work of a dispatcher is considered incredibly important and you need to understand that without these people it is simply impossible to fly airplanes. After all, they are the ones who make all flights easy and calm, and few passengers think about who is the most important in aviation.

You can get a closer look at the profession in the video:

It is generally accepted that specialists whose specific work involves direct contact with consumers of goods or services need to meet clients in person. But, as you know, there are exceptions to every rule. And a striking example of this is the dispatcher profession, whose representatives have direct contact with the consumer, but never meet him in person. And all because the tasks of this profession are radically different from the tasks of all other specialties.

It is generally accepted that specialists whose specific work involves direct contact with consumers of goods or services need to meet clients in person. But, as you know, there are exceptions to every rule. And a striking example of this is dispatcher profession, whose representatives have direct contact with the consumer, but never meet him in person. And all because the tasks of this profession are radically different from the tasks of all other specialties.

Dispatchers do not sell anything, do not conduct sociological surveys, and do not advertise goods and services. They are simply trying to make our lives more comfortable, orderly and safe. What do these specialists do? What are the features of this profession, and what personal qualities do you need to have to get it? What difficulties in work should future specialists be prepared for, and in what educational institutions do they teach the intricacies of this profession? You can find answers to all these questions here and now.

Who is a dispatcher?

– an official who ensures the coordination and optimization of the production process in a certain field of activity through the use of various types of computer technology, as well as communication and communication means.

The name of the profession comes from the English dispatch (send, send), which directly indicates the main task of any dispatcher - to structure and process the information received by him, and send it in the right direction. The profession belongs to the category of “young”, since its education became possible only at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when computer technology and various means of communication appeared, and the need arose for people capable of coordinating the activities of transport and special services.

In other words, initially dispatchers were required only to ensure the coordinated work of carriers (by the way, in the original sources the word “dispatcher” meant “sender of trains”) and emergency response services (police, firefighters, ambulance, etc.). Today, dispatchers coordinate almost all spheres of human activity: taxi services, logistics departments, air transportation, delivery services, online stores, educational organizations, utilities, manufacturing enterprises, etc. In short, wherever it is necessary to quickly regulate the progress of production or manage the movement of transport, representatives of this profession are needed.

Officials dispatcher duties directly depend on the place of work. For example, an air traffic controller coordinates the takeoff, flight and landing of aircraft, and a taxi dispatcher acts as an intermediary between the driver and the passenger: he issues calls, distributes orders between drivers and informs the client about the arrival of the car. In general, the duties of the dispatcher include the entire set of activities (including written reports on the work done) aimed at ensuring the uninterrupted process of production or provision of services. In addition, the specialist’s responsibilities may include: providing the enterprise with necessary materials, control over the timely purchase of equipment, consulting and administrative functions.

What personal qualities should a dispatcher have?

Since at the core dispatcher work communication with people lies (both with clients and employees of the enterprise); this specialist must have developed communication skills, good diction and competent language. In addition, the presence of such personal qualities as:

The dispatcher carries out his professional activities through communication means, so the specialist must have skills in working with a PC and other office equipment. He must also have knowledge in the field of features of the work (services) produced, regulations, the basics of organizing production, economics, psychology, labor protection, safety precautions and the range of products.

Advantages of the dispatcher profession

Main advantage of the dispatcher profession is the absence of the need to obtain higher education. Moreover, even a person without special education and work experience can get this position. True, only to those organizations whose activities do not require special knowledge. For example, to a taxi or delivery service.

Note that today in the labor market there is enough a large number of dispatcher vacancies that allow you to carry out professional activities from home. Agree that this is a significant advantage of the profession, especially for those people who are deprived of the opportunity to leave their apartment or house for a long time (for example, young mothers or people with disabilities).

Since the work of a dispatcher does not involve physical activity, this profession is ideal for women of all ages. That is, precisely for the most unprotected and discriminated category of the working population of our country. Well, more than comfortable working conditions (sedentary work in warm rooms) can be considered as a pleasant bonus.

Disadvantages of the dispatcher profession

Despite the obvious advantages and the apparent ease of professional duties (after all, from the outside it seems that there is nothing difficult in coordinating the actions of other employees), disadvantages of the dispatcher profession a lot. And, above all, there is a high probability of communicating with inadequate people. Such situations are especially common in the work of taxi dispatchers and emergency response services.

Another disadvantage of this profession is the low salary, which, taking into account the requirements for education and work experience, is quite predictable. Today, the average monthly salary of dispatchers in Russia is about 15-30 thousand rubles.

We should also not forget that stressful situations often occur in the work of a dispatcher. For example, in the event of an accident or catastrophe, dispatchers are entrusted with enormous responsibility for coordinating the actions of rescue services, which negatively affects the psycho-emotional state of the specialist.

Where can I get a job as a dispatcher?

Get a job as a dispatcher possible in several ways. If you are planning to get a job in a taxi service, then it is enough to simply attend a training course lasting 3-4 days, directly at the place of your future professional activity. If you plan to work as an air traffic controller or industrial dispatcher, then you need to undergo specialized training at one of the colleges or technical schools in Russia in your chosen area of ​​activity. Please note that one diploma is not enough for employers. Additionally, you must have at least one year of work experience under your belt. Therefore, after graduating from a secondary specialized educational institution, be prepared for the fact that you will still have to work for some time either as a simple operator or as an assistant dispatcher. Some specializations of this profession (for example, the profession of an air traffic controller) can also be obtained at a specialized university.

Air traffic controller - employee aviation services, controlling and servicing the movement of aircraft of all categories. The safety of military and civil flights depends on how the air traffic controller performs his job.

In the hands of aviation service specialists, the most valuable thing is the life and health of millions of people - passengers and air fleet workers.

What are the professional responsibilities of an air traffic controller? What are the benefits and risks of this specialty? How high is the salary for an air traffic controller? Where do people in this profession get more for their hard work? What benefits and additional payments can they count on when they retire?

Professional Responsibilities

In order for pilots to safely take off and land the plane at the point of arrival, the aviation dispatcher must act clearly and correctly. And for this he must know well:

• air navigation;
• How do phenomena in the Earth’s atmosphere affect aviation, i.e. aviation meteorology;
• instructions and rules on the distribution of aircraft relative to each other in order to avoid their collision.

Air traffic controller transport communication capable of controlling all stages of aircraft movement: takeoff, landing, taxiing, aircraft movement at different altitudes.

Control and management of air transport is carried out by monitoring the situation in the airspace using a special monitor, more precisely four monitors and an observation window, to observe the real situation in the air and at the airfield.

Human lives depend on the attention and speed of reaction to air traffic controller situations, so people in this profession simply have no room for error. All their activities are aimed at ensuring that such errors in flight control do not occur.

What determines the salary of an air transport dispatcher?

Specialists who have high physical and emotional endurance can perform the work of an air traffic controller efficiently. In order to obtain permission to work, an employee must have a diploma of higher specialized education. He will not be hired without a conclusion from a medical expert commission on his professional suitability.

In addition, an air traffic controller needs to have a good knowledge of English in accordance with international standards. Increasing Proficiency Level English language may result in a salary increase of up to 50%.

Additional bonuses

The working conditions of an air traffic controller are difficult. The dispatch service operates around the clock without breaks or weekends. That’s why I work as air transport management specialists in shifts.

A typical schedule is a shift from 14.00 to 22.00, rest at the dispensary, the next shift is 8.00 to 14.30. Debriefing and study of flight documentation from 14.30 to 16.30. Night duty from 21.30 to 8.30. Every two hours of work are alternated with a 20-minute break, but if high-intensity work is done, 10-minute breaks are taken every hour. Three days off between shifts. In Week work time air traffic controller for no more than 36 hours.

Airlines provide additional benefit programs and bonuses to employees ensuring flight safety, for example:

• young professionals can count on monetary compensation for the down payment to purchase an apartment; the amount of compensation in some airlines can reach 1.9 million rubles;
• one-time financial assistance is provided to young specialists who start working at the airline;
• specialists who do not have their own housing are entitled to 50% compensation for rental housing;
• after five years of work, you are given the right to fly once a year to anywhere in the world for free;
• tickets for spouses and children traveling with their parents-air traffic controllers will cost them half the price;
• there is the possibility of free access to sports and gyms, swimming pools;
• free trips to sanatoriums and health centers are provided annually;
• annual paid leave 67 days.

How much does an air traffic controller earn in Russia?

Dispatchers' salary air transport hesitates from 90 to 270 thousand rubles per month. An analysis of vacancies for specialists in this profile showed that companies organizing air services are willing to pay from 75 to 250 thousand rubles per month.

The average salary is 110 thousand rubles. This is significantly higher than the salary of specialists in other professions. Moreover, it is planned to increase the salary of air traffic controllers in 2017 by 25-30%.

In Moscow

Moscow air traffic controllers earn 60 – 250 thousand rubles per month, which averages 90 thousand rubles. and significantly exceeds the average salary in Russia and in most other regions of the country.

In St. Petersburg

The amount of remuneration for air traffic controllers in northern capital relatively small. On average they earn per month 35 thousand rubles., maximum salary - 65 thousand rubles.

In other regions of Russia

The level of salaries for air traffic controllers in the regions of Russia is as follows.

• In Saratov and Voronezh, the average monthly salary is 22-60 thousand rubles,
• in Novosibirsk – 24-49 thousand rubles,
• in Magadan and Vladivostok - 60 thousand rubles,
• in Samara – 21-53 thousand rubles.

That is, there is no significant difference in the remuneration of air traffic controllers across different regions of Russia.

Air traffic controller salary abroad

The incomes of aviation dispatchers in Europe are significantly higher than those of their Russian colleagues.

• Highest incomes in Germany and UK – 7 thousand euros(420 thousand rubles).
• Air traffic controllers in France earn a month - 6.5 thousand euros(390 thousand rubles).
• But earnings in Latvia and Poland are more modest than in Russia, in total 100 – 75 thousand rubles. respectively.
• US air traffic controllers can be called the record holders for income; their monthly income is 8 thousand dollars(480 thousand rubles).

Retirement

One of the most important advantages of the profession is the right to early retirement. Male air traffic controllers can apply for a pension from the age of 50, and women from the age of 45, provided they have worked in the air transport flight control service for at least 12.5 years.

Pensions for air traffic controllers are low; the national average monthly pension is about 20 thousand rubles. Air traffic controllers who have earned a pension in the North can count on 25 thousand per month.

When an air traffic control service employee is decommissioned for health reasons before retirement age, compensation in the amount of 6 average monthly wages is due.

Compared to workers in other professions, aeronautical specialists receive a decent salary for their hard work. Specialists in this area are in demand in the modern labor market. Civilian universities and institutes train air traffic controllers civil aviation in Moscow and Ulyanovsk and higher military schools in Krasnodar and Yeisk.

Aviation specialists who control and maintain the air traffic of airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft are called air traffic controllers. Their place of work is airports and military airfields. The main task of representatives of this profession is to ensure the safe, regular and orderly movement of air transport. To do this you need to know:

• air navigation (the science that studies methods and means of controlling air transport);
• aviation meteorology (atmospheric processes, their impact on aviation activities);
• separation rules and instructions (dispersing aircraft over a certain distance to prevent a collision between them).

The work of an air traffic controller is organized in such a way that he can control all stages of the movement of an aircraft or other aircraft, from takeoff to landing. Wherein air space is divided into specific zones assigned to an individual dispatcher specialist who provides flight control specifically within his area. Therefore, air traffic controllers have different direction specializations:

1. Airfield control center - here they schedule the flight plan for the day, in coordination with other airport services, control the situation in the air during flights, and maintain constant communication with the crews of the aircraft.
2. “Taxiing” – checks the movement of vehicles on the territory of the airfield, allows or prohibits towing, starting the vehicle engine, and taxiing.
3. “Takeoff and landing” - are involved in the management of the takeoff and landing of aircraft.
4. “Circle” – controls the movement of vehicles in the take-off zone with a radius of 50 km from the airfield.
5. “Approach” - controls the flight at an altitude of 2100-5700 m, allows landing in the order of priority, defining time intervals.
6. District center - controls the movement of aircraft at an altitude of 2100-17000 m.
7. Local airlines point - operates in the area of ​​the local airfield at an altitude of 1500 m and below.
8. Local control center – occupies the area of ​​the administrative region far from major airports, flight management at altitudes up to 1500 m.

Control and guidance of the movement of aircraft and other air assets is carried out by monitoring the situation in the air using a special monitor. In this case, meteorological conditions, aircraft schedules, etc. must be taken into account.

Air traffic controllers have no room for error, since the lives of other people depend on their observation and reaction. Therefore, the organization of their work is aimed at preventing errors in flight control.

The dispatch service operates both day and night – 24 hours a day. Because of this, in order to avoid nervous and psychological stress, air traffic controllers perform their work duties in shifts.

Professional skills of an air traffic controller

Employers, when hiring a person for the position of air traffic controller, take into account the following personality traits:

• resistance to emotional and psychological stress;
• ability to distribute attention;
• attentiveness and responsibility;
• resourcefulness and self-control;
• initiative and organizational skills;
• Analytical mind;
• developed visual-motor coordination of movements.

In this case, the air traffic controller must know:

• design and operating principles of dispatch equipment;
• the structure of aircraft machines to give advice on quickly eliminating any problems during the flight;
• English (or other foreign language, depending on the place of work);
• professional terms.

In addition to all of the above, it is advisable to have one of the higher education diplomas in the specialty “Operation of Aircraft and Air Traffic Management”, “Air Transport Traffic Management”.

The advantages of working as an air traffic controller:

• the work is not associated with physical activity (women of different ages can work);
• comfortable working conditions (indoors, sitting);
• the right to early retirement (men - from the age of 50 (work experience of at least twelve and a half years), women - from the age of 45 (with at least ten years of experience)).

Salary of a Russian air traffic controller in 2019

The average salary of an air traffic controller per month is about 120 thousand rubles. Such information is provided on the website http://ru.zarplat.info/air traffic controller. Already today there is information about an increase in salaries for air traffic controllers by 30% in 2018.

Here you can view vacancies in such companies Russian Federation: “Strela” – 90,000 rub./month, AC 1st class – 72,000 rub./month, Air Navigation of the North-West – 65,000 rub./month, “Avangard” Pinery– 250,000 rub./month.

How to become an air traffic controller

There are not many universities in Russia where you can get the profession of air traffic controller. These are MSTU of Civil Aviation (Moscow), State University of Civil Aviation (St. Petersburg), Higher Aviation School (Ulyanovsk), Higher Military Institute named after. V.M. Komarova (Yaysk). The St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation has its branches in Khabarovsk and ATK GA, after studying there you can get a secondary vocational education.

Every three years, air traffic controllers undergo special advanced training courses, after which they confirm their current certificate and competence as required.

Experts remind

An air traffic controller is one of the most responsible professions, which is associated not only with aviation equipment, but also with human lives.