All about the profession of air traffic controller. Profession: air traffic controller. Secondary vocational education

“The Investigative Committee dropped charges against trainee air traffic controller Svetlana Krivsun in the case of the crash of a Falcon plane in Vnukovo” - this is a two-week-old TASS report about an event that occurred almost a year and a half ago. Then the young specialist was placed under house arrest and experienced significant stress all this time. Nice start to a career!

Yes, this is one of the risks of this profession. But such risks do not reduce its attractiveness. After all, an air traffic controller is a special profession, but what does this mean?

How does is called?

Air traffic controller is the name given to a whole family of air traffic control professions. If you think that a plane that has gained altitude flies as it wants, then you are deeply mistaken. He is closely monitored by a dispatcher who controls horizontal flight on his territory. It not only ensures flight safety by offering pilots the desired altitude and travel corridor, but also recommends the optimal path, helping to save fuel.

All dispatchers are connected and interact with each other within the framework of a unified air traffic management system in the country, and outside it - guided by uniform international rules. What types of dispatchers are there?

1. The departure controller issues permission to fly according to the declared flight plan.
2. The taxi controller controls the movement of aircraft from the moment the engines are started to the pre-launch and from the moment they taxi onto the taxiways after landing.
3. The launch and landing controller authorizes takeoff and landing, controls aircraft taking off and landing, and controls traffic on the runway and pre-landing straight.
4. The “circle” controller controls the movement of aircraft in the takeoff and landing zone at altitudes up to 1500 meters and within a radius of 50 km from the airfield. Issues clearance for landing approaches to arriving aircraft and initial climb instructions to departing aircraft.
5. The approach controller controls the movement of aircraft at altitudes of 1,800-5,700 meters and within a radius of 90-200 km from the airfield.
6. The control controller monitors the movement of aircraft at altitudes above 3,350 meters within established horizontal boundaries and transfers control of the flight to the next controller when the aircraft leaves his area of ​​​​responsibility.
7. The local air traffic controller controls flights up to an altitude of 1,500 meters within the area of ​​​​responsibility (usually comparable in area to the administrative region) in the horizontal plane.

There are seven types of controllers listed here, but there are others, such as procedural and area radar controller, procedural and radar approach controller, airfield controller, landing radar controller, and simulator instructor controller. So they are different.

How to become an air traffic controller?

Training air traffic controllers, like representatives of any other complex profession, is a serious and responsible process.

Specialists are trained in specialized one-year courses in secondary specialized educational institutions (for example, St. Petersburg Aviation Transport College civil aviation) and in universities, for example, at the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation, the Ulyanovsk Higher Aviation School of Civil Aviation and the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation. These universities have branches in different cities.

Dispatchers regularly undergo advanced training and certification with varying frequencies, depending on the class - annually, every two or three years. Managers are trained and certified less frequently.

Training is carried out either at the airline or at specialized educational institutions.

The future dispatcher undergoes a medical examination before entering training. And having become a specialist, he does it regularly. The medical flight expert commission issues a conclusion on professional suitability, allowing you to continue working for the next 4 years, if the air traffic controller is not older than 40 years old, then every two years and from the age of 50, the air traffic controller must undergo a medical flight expert examination commission every year if he has not retired by this age.

What qualities do you need to have to be successful in this profession?

The air traffic controller's workplace is equipped with navigation instruments, radio communications with pilots and telephone communications with other dispatchers and airfield services. In addition to a computer with specialized programs, the workplace contains air and meteorological situation monitors, various displays, indicators and sources of audio and visual signals, tablets, graphs, documents and reference books.

At the same time, the specialist negotiates with the crew, monitors the progress of the flight on the radar or monitor screen, maintains contact with the meteorological service and the crews of the airliners, informing them about weather conditions or reporting a route change.

At the same time, 10-20 aircraft can be under the control of one air traffic controller at the same time.

Working with technology, different sources of information and communication channels of different levels places a number of demands on dispatchers.

Requirements for professional qualities:

Secondary specialized or higher education in the specialty “Operation of aircraft and air traffic management” or “Traffic control” air transport».

The air traffic controller must be proficient English language and know professional flight terminology in that language. According to modern requirements, only those who speak the language at level 4 (out of 6) on the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) scale receive permission to fly on international routes. If the dispatcher does not have such a certificate, he can only work on local lines.

Requirements for psychological qualities:

In terms of psycho-emotional load, this profession is one of the most difficult, since the dispatcher is responsible not only for expensive equipment, but also for human lives. Moreover, the emotional resonance in the media and people’s minds from plane crashes is stronger than, say, car accidents, although they occur hundreds of times less often.

Therefore, in addition to absolute health, for successful work, an air traffic controller must have high responsibility and discipline, resistance to stress, extensive RAM, spatial imagination, and the ability to maintain attention on high level activity for a long time.

He must be able to quickly determine air situation, because he has to simultaneously monitor and control several objects moving in three-dimensional space in different directions at different speeds. The dispatcher must issue commands over the air and simultaneously listen to the conversations of his colleagues working in related sectors. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the radar screen and make notes on the graph.

How to build a career in this profession?

The primary career step is trainee dispatcher. Dispatchers can further specialize, for example, in air traffic control or in airfield control. But, one way or another, they can be assigned classes: first, second or third. They reflect the degree of qualification of the specialist.

Further stages of growth: senior dispatcher, dispatcher-instructor.

The head of dispatchers is the flight director, the head of the control tower or control center of various sizes - district, zonal or main air traffic management center.

If you visit dispatcher forums on the Internet, you will notice how involved these people are in their work, how proud they are of it, realizing the complexity, importance and uniqueness of such work. They feel like they are part of the global system, and these are not words: any dispatcher who speaks English can work abroad, since the air traffic control system is international.

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 the necessary materials, monitoring 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.

It should be noted that today there are quite a large number of dispatcher vacancies on the labor market 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 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.

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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. At the same time, the airspace is divided into certain zones assigned to an individual air traffic controller, who supervises the flight 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, controlling flights 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). St. Petersburg State University 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.

An air traffic controller is a specialist who provides air traffic control (ATC) to ensure the safe, energy-efficient, regular and orderly movement of aircraft. We will look at what exactly is included in the scope of professional responsibilities and how to become an air traffic controller in the article.

Average salary: 63,000 rubles per month

Demand

Payability

Competition

Entry barrier

Prospects

History of the profession

International Air Traffic Controllers Day is celebrated on October 20, as on this day the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (IFATCA) was created in 1961. However, the history of this young profession begins much earlier - from the moment the connection was first established between the aircraft and the flight coordinator on the ground. Later, with the advent of mass military aviation flights, standards for takeoff and landing control began to emerge. But in civil aviation, the final standardization of cargo and passenger air transportation management in its modern form took shape after the creation of IFATCA, which today includes more than 50 thousand air traffic controllers from all over the world.

Description and characteristics of the profession

In Russia, air traffic management is a whole complex process that ensures the interaction of control centers that are part of the EU ATM structure (which stands for Unified Air Traffic Management System). The airspace is divided into areas of responsibility of control towers and classes, and depending on the type of tasks performed, they are distinguished separately:

• planning centers working to make more efficient use of airspace from the time a flight plan is issued to its closure;
• air traffic controllers' stations involved in direct traffic control from the moment the engine is started until taxiing to the parking lot at the destination airfield.

In accordance with the flight planning area, three types of EU ATM units are distinguished: Main Center(GC), Zonal Center (ZC) and District center(RC). In each of them, according to zoning, they collect and process submitted (FPL) and recurring (RPL) flight plans, control the planning process of both scheduled and non-scheduled flights in Russian airspace and on international airlines (IC), forecast airspace needs and etc. There are also control centers for local airlines and flight information centers.

Separation of stages air traffic also assumes the separation of control centers throughout the flight. The dispatcher's workplace at the airport is the control center tower. This is a room located at an altitude of several tens of meters with huge windows, equipped with computers, monitors displaying air and meteorological conditions, a signal board, radio engineering means of navigation and communication, charting tables, table-sign indicators, binoculars, and finally, a comfortable durable chair.

The dispatch “crew” consists of the radar control air traffic controller himself, who controls the aircraft, and an assistant - the procedural control controller, who deals with approvals. In the hall, literally and figuratively, the senior air traffic controller (shift supervisor) and the flight director stand behind him.

Simultaneous control in air traffic conditions is sometimes maintained with two to three dozen aircraft, while it is also necessary to simultaneously monitor changes in weather, pressure, the condition of nearby airfields, etc.

The peculiarity of working as an air traffic controller is that at any moment an extreme situation may arise in which a decision must be made as quickly and clearly as if the usual schedule was followed. But anything can happen: the plane’s radar system or even its engine may fail, fog may fall on the runway, etc. Sometimes, due to deteriorating conditions, the strip is not visible either to the naked eye or through binoculars. In this case, there are well-established procedures for coordination using instruments and runway lights, but tension increases at such moments. As one experienced air traffic controller admitted in an interview: “For us, any situation is normal.” However, in aviation there is such a concept as “ aviation incident" The decision to declare the stage of “alarm” or “distress” (for example, failure to extend the landing gear during landing) is made by the flight director.

Before starting a shift, an air traffic controller undergoes a mandatory medical examination. The working day lasts, as a rule, seven hours with a break of at least 20 minutes every two hours. A break is necessary to relieve tension, which grows and accumulates very quickly at the console, increasing the risk of error, so fatigue is unacceptable.

Since the profession of an air traffic controller is associated with a constant high psycho-emotional load, it gives the right to an early pension.

What specialties are best to study in?

To obtain training as an air traffic controller, basic training can be completed in several specializations:

• Air traffic control - specialization code: 2.25.03.03.
• Organization of the use of airspace and Organization of air navigation support for flights - specialization code: 2.25.05.05.
• Motion control systems aircraft- specialization code: 2.24.05.06

For each profile, there are from 1 to 3 program options, so that schoolchildren enrolling as a dispatcher can choose where to study.

Best Universities to Study

The most prestigious universities for obtaining specialized education include:

• St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation.
• Moscow State Technical University civil aviation.
• MAI - Moscow Aviation Institute.
• South Ural State University (Chelyabinsk).

However, education does not end after graduation. The dispatcher needs to undergo advanced training every 3 years and, depending on the class, confirm a valid air traffic controller certificate every 1-3 years: the third class is confirmed annually, the second - once every 2 years, the first - once every 3 years.

Job responsibilities

Communication with aircraft is maintained throughout the flight, but there is a step-by-step division of responsibilities among airport dispatchers: one dispatcher is responsible for takeoff, another for climbing, a third for landing, etc. The same specialist has access to different specializations.

• Taxiing controller. Responsibilities include monitoring the situation on the platform. It allows or prohibits towing and adjusts the time so that another side does not taxi along the lane at the same time. After bringing the plane to the runway, the air traffic controller passes the baton to his colleague responsible for the launch.
• Launch manager. Controls the movement of the aircraft along the runway and the movement along the pre-landing straight line.
• Approach Manager. Guides the aircraft to a certain altitude, providing a safe landing approach and conditions for maneuver.
• Circle Manager. It is also responsible for the ability to maneuver during landing, but at a lower altitude.

Approach controllers and circle controllers can be physically located in the adjacent room. They have more time to make a decision on each individual board, but there are more boards themselves in each unit of time than taxi and launch controllers.

Who is it suitable for?

The requirements for candidates are very serious, and therefore, after completing an internship, on average, 1/10 of the candidates are eliminated. There are high requirements not only for the amount of specialized knowledge (meteorology, aerodynamics, navigation, radio equipment, etc.) and general knowledge (proficiency in English at level 4 on the ICAO scale), but also for the psycho-emotional stability of the candidate for this job.

Among the highly skilled professions, air traffic controllers are at risk among those people whose profession aggravates or provokes suicidal tendencies. Therefore, in addition to a serious general medical commission, a candidate for air traffic controller must undergo psychological test for professional suitability. Often, trainees are specifically trained to cope with stress. It is no coincidence that one of the most popular types of recreation among dispatchers is fishing on lakes.

There are also age restrictions. Until the age of 40, a medical examination for permission to work is carried out every three years, then every two years, and from the age of 50 a full examination with a conclusion on professional suitability occurs annually.

Air traffic controller salary

In the bulk of published vacancies, the salary for an air traffic controller is offered in the amount of up to 40 thousand rubles per month. Because of large quantity For such vacancies, the average salary offered is quite low and does not correspond to the level of responsibility and necessary qualifications that an air traffic controller should have.

However, enough vacancies can be found with a salary of up to 80 thousand rubles. Less often, but also published, are job offers for 125-165 thousand rubles per month and above. The maximum salary that appeared in the list of proposals was 214.5 thousand rubles/month.

How to build a career

When building a career, an air traffic controller grows to a senior dispatcher, and then to a flight director with greater authority. However, not only job growth, but also the transition from a provincial airport to an airport with high traffic and increased loads, which becomes a kind of professional challenge for an air traffic controller, can become a kind of career turn.

When leaving his main place of work, the dispatcher can try himself as a supply engineer or logistician, that is, in jobs where his professional skills are in demand.

Prospects for the profession

In science fiction and futurology, a number of works are devoted to the topic of replacing people with robots in the professions of pilot and dispatcher (for example, Stanislaw Lem’s book “Inquiry”). The activities of an air traffic controller are indeed being automated very quickly. However, control over the operation of the devices and making the final decision in the event of an emergency remains with the person. This means that this profession will be in demand for a long time.