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From: Wickedpenguin
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  • These guys don't make enough money.

  • So, what happens if a controller has to pee? is there a one minute hand-off to another controller, then after the break another one minute hand-back? And wow, diarrhea could really put your britches in jeopardy.

  • @ewmegoolies That's a really good question. I'm sure they wait for the best times, when nothing demanding is expected in the near term, but what if someone declares an emergency during the two minute pee break? Pilots can hand off control/monitoring responsibility to the other one (or use the jug), but can controllers hand off responsibility to the next guy over during bathroom breaks?

  • Thanks for the video, I really learned alot, i'm planning on becoming a controller, and this really helps

  • I'm glad you're doing this and not me because it'd be raining metal out there every day.

  • @pdutub

    Not doing anything is different. And then air traffic controlers make $69 thousand a year. Nothing is all you have efforts for. I work long hours and atleaste I did something. Why not your bastard human life?

  • @wickedpenguin you must be/have been a Riddle student.

  • @osotegreat Heck no! I went to Miami Dade College, which is a two year degree. I finished it in a year and a half. The FAA didn't tend to differentiate between CTI schools. Compared to a Riddle student starting at the same time, I saved tens of thousands of dollars, got the same "ticket" into the FAA, AND - most importantly - gained 2 1/2 years of seniority, putting me ahead for bidding days off and leave. Also, ATC is about the person, not the school. Your diploma won't get you certified.

  • @elbnderi: It's dark because if there were lights above or behind the controller, they reflect or glare on the screen. I used to work radar. Whenever the lights got flicked on for maintenance or whatever, you'd have adjust your seating and shift around often to see around the glare and scan your aircraft. Very annoying and distracting, especially when you're busy.

  • sounds interesting to know the thousands of tasks behind, done for a single flight!!!

    Can anyone tell me why it is dim in TRACON?? does lighted areas affect the tracking ability of controllers?

  • Do you have any videos for Miami Center? I just got picked up this last hiring panel and found out I am going to ZMA, so exciting!

  • 17 people just had a near miss.

  • 50 miles is not true about a tracons control

  • How do you know when there's a pilot in the room?...

    He'll tell you.

  • terrible user interface. just incredibly incompetent design for something that important.

    and it doesn't look like they see any actual radar data. are they really blind to radar? if a plane has no transponder they don't see it at all?

  • @DanFrederiksen Umm they have 2 types of radar....If you dont have a transponder they'll get a primary target hit

  • Informative video...well done...and the music gives a great local flavor!

  • @____@ i want to be atc controller but feels complex to me.

  • how is it working in the dark like that? do the people in the building or the people in the tower get paid more?

  • @MountainQueen Your pay is affected by the level of the "facility" be it a tower or a tracon it doesnt matter.

  • Very informative lecture... Is ATC job a federal job?

  • @EsotericDesi01 Yes it is federal.

  • Comment removed

  • Superb. In order to appreciate the fact that ATCs are the real (unsung) heroes of aviation, read the book, "AIRPORT" by Arthur Hailley

  • @hsxtcqm Yeah, I've read it. There is also a movie about this book, but it's not as good as the book :)

  • Great video, As one of my passionis is aviation.

  • US controllers talk way too fast, especially the guy at 03:58!

  • Fun video. Though a bit surprised about the verbose ATC instruction at what is a pretty busy time for the pilots. I can't see the need for issuing dual speed restriction when one would do. The pilots would know they're 8nm from GRITT, what published speed to maintain till established, and to maintain 3000.  None of that seems necessary to relay. Should be just "(AC) you're number 4, cleared runway 9 ILS approach." The INESS speed restriction comes later.

  • @RenoDoctor: As they say, the FAA's rules are written in blood. Those things are required because at some point, some accident happened due to a pilot NOT knowing where he was in relation to a fix and what altitude he needed to maintain until he joined the approach. Regarding the speeds, when sequencing aircraft that tight, you want to maintain tight control over their speeds so that when aircraft #1 slows on final, aircraft #2, #3, and #4 are already slowing and don't compress into #1's tail.

  • @Wickedpenguin You've got it! 

  • @Wickedpenguin

    Who said. Who is there to monitor. Who is staffed to check all air ports Russia to. Dip shit I don't have to.

  • Esta chido el video. Admiro mucho a los controladores de vuelos! Viva la aviacion!!!!

  • It's a job I wouldn't want and couldn't do, thank goodness the people that work in this field, Do want to and Can do it ! - It has to have a serious impact on the stress / tension levels, and as for what I see is called "phraseology", I did not understand a single thing the guy was saying !! So, add pilot to the list of ' I couldn't do' eh. Thanks for the post, appreciated, 5X5

  • those are high speed controllers i wish i could say my phraseology that fast O__O

  • heck, I wish I could HEAR that fast.

  • You might like a little FAA comedy web series. Take a look at my channel. I made a movie, "Budget Justified," about what it was like to work in FAA offices in Washington

  • i use to do this in the U.S. NAVY!! best job in the world!!

  • civilian atc puts military atc to shame as far as busy goes

  • yes, of course.. but civilian atc is lazy and undeciplined, look at all the Major errors occuring in civilian atc. Oh, and I doubt civilian atc could handle Caatc.. (carrier and amphibious air traffic control) roger??

  • what? I'm not a controller but I know my shit, how is civilian atc lazy and undeciplined?

  • for example, their phraseology is abbreviated even further than the 71-10 teaches!.. but, that allows for much more traffic. You can give me any airport in the U.S. and I'd still rather controll a flight of two F-18 superhornets on final approach anyday!!!

  • ok #1 Give me an example of how when a faa controller abbreviated phraseology further than necessary on multiple situations and was not disciplined for it. #2 If you admit that when they do cut it short it is because they are swamped, how does that make them lazy? #3 ATC isn't the only reason there is more accidents in civil aviation. There is much much much more civil flights than military flights, and Military pilots have much more training and better technology than civil pilots do.

  • Again...

    U.S. Military controllers abbreviate Affectively and Effectively..

    in accordance with the ATC rules and regulations at all times.

    and because of that, their isn't multiple situations to deal with and there are more incidents due to pilot error, than from ATControl.

  • Again...

    You are making general biased statements that US military controllers are perfect and civilian controllers never follow the rules and cause accidents all the time. Vectoring is a skill, whether or not you are good at it is totally independent of whether or not you are in the military, several civilian controllers actually did it in the military before their civil career. Where did you work in the navy by the way?

  • This is not what I'm saying..lol Civilian controllers and Military controllers are cut from the same wool, and you're right.. Vectoring is a skill, and both orginizations have to be sharp and focus and detail are key. As a whole, the military is more discipline than any civilian orginization... How could you think that ATC would be any different? I studied at NAATC Pensacola, worked at NAS Norfolk, and the AFWTF in PR. before the deadly accident on Vieques.. to name a few fields.

  • @CLOUD9VIZION may i inquire as to which errors you are referring to?

  • @ Cutepilot08 Well, besides the civilian air controller in Ny just last month who let some kids talk to live traffic during heavy flow! Do you think a military atc facility would even dare? Exactly,.. as i said before.... wayy too relaxed.

  • No doubt about that!..by about 10 times as far as traffic, but that's why their phraseology is cut short, so they can handle more planes.

  • I have applied for doing the tests to become an air traffic controller and seeing this video really scares me. Looks fucking hard!

  • You have no idea. Wait until you start trying to talk to real A/C. Its fun it really is.

  • The first thing to know about ATC is that it is complicated, but it's not hard.  NOt everyone is made for it, you have to be on your shit!! mathmatically to begin with..And many people have quit, but many controllers graduate everyday. good luck.

  • I also wanted to know if there is any university we should attend to become air traffic controller! How is the process at US!? Here in Brazil it´s all provided by the government!!!

  • What college in USA you have to attend in order to be Air Traffic Controler? Is there any in South Carolina? How much are they and how will you get paid for non-military.

  • The University of North Dakota has the best Air Traffic Control training program in the country. Military/Non-military are paid the same

  • i think transfer of control is now 2 minutes for both controllers for 4 min total

  • Great Video, Thanks for the upload! These controllers are amazing and I say this as not only a frequent air commuter, but also as a private pilot.

  • and when they have to go to pee ?

  • Bottles or plastic bags.

  • Hello!Was good film if Traffic control and I like it.

    I give you 5 star for this film=)

    Greeting TheCARRE74.=)

  • As a student pilot, transmissions can be overwhelming with the speed that the fine ATC folks push at us, but after a while, it becomes more of a language then English. Thanks to all ATC's for keeping us pilots safe up in the sky.

  • @deathleader52

    If when first making contact you can declare you are a student pilot and they will speak much slower. You can also ask them to repeat, and slow down.

  • Pilots can understand really quick transmissions because of 'standard phraseology' ie. they know what to hear

  • @ ellyzss Exactly, that is why "standard phaseology" should be used at all times while on tower, period. If you want to chit chat, use your cell phone, but while controlling plans... go by the book...

  • Does tracon information (the instructions that the controller said over the radio) get sent to the planes electronically? Or do the pilots have to rely on what they hear from the controllers? The controllers speak so fast that it's hard to understand what they say.

  • Does anyone here actually work as an ATC? If so what's your salary?

  • that's kind of personal info to ask, especially over youtube, but an ATC's salary can range from 50-150 thousand a year.

  • is that depending on seniority?

  • it depends on seniority, experience, and location

  • Starting out is about 38k a year, paid bi-weekly, no sick days, some weeks they work 60-70 hours.

    My cousin is ATC at O'hare. This was his information. He was given the job after 14 years in the Navy...started out as flight deck ATC onboard the USS Enterprise.

  • Google it :)

  • Finally now all the myths about traffic control can be put to rest

  • They all seemed to be speaking so fast and in a monotone voice. They say like 20 words in about 3 seconds.

    Reminds me of the Fed Ex commercials with that fast talking guy from years ago.

  • All absolutely necessary information, delivered as fast as possible.

  • I know it's necessary info, but at that speed, most listeners cannot understand what's being side. Add that to being over a radio system, noise of the plane, or any other sounds which happen to be in the cockpit, and most you can pick up is a few numbers at best.

    If anything, it seems to me in this video example, they're spewing information which is necessary for internal and reporting purposes, and not for human consumption. Right? Wrong? Kind close, but not really? Let me know.

  • Oh, I was just making a observation on ATC conversations. Actually radio conversations aren't hard to hear/understand in a cockpit. Most headsets cancel out cockpit/environment noise very well.

  • radar service terminated, squawk VFR, frequency changed approved.

  • great upload, the only problem is i don't know if i should listen to the guy, or read what you have on there lol. So i had to keep pausing it

  • which means you would be a bad air traffic controller....lol

  • Well, to a certain extend. I'm a relatively good pilot though!

  • I always wanted to know what it looks like on the inside

  • One of the best videos ever on Youtube. Excellent work all around.

  • Very enjoyable video; well done... thank you!

  • hahaha concrete aka runways

  • Great video!

  • Really informative - thanks.

  • "Exciting" is not the adjective I would use to describe the prospect of air travel without atc.

  • I've flown all over central American with almost no ATC. Most of the airports in the US have no tower.

  • Nope, that's the way it works. Most airports in the US have no control tower, you just take off. Most airspace in the US is class G or class E which means that you don't need to talk to any ATC. ATC can be helpful but its not our primary means of aircraft separation

    -Robert, FAA Certified Flight Instructor

  • p0ckets - you just made a lovely fool of yourself.  In our airspace, we have around 50 airports. Only five of those have control towers. The other 45 are uncontrolled and outside of Class A, B, C, and D airspace. The pilots get on a CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) to coordinate with each other and let each other know where they are. "Foley Airport traffic, Cessna 2AB, departing Runway 9, Foley Airport." "Foley Airport traffic, Beechjet 668 on base leg, runway 9, Foley Airport."

  • @Wickedpenguin TRACON work in the airport?

  • you are nuts! and dont have a clue about this topic. i hope i am never close to you in the air, please stay on the ground. the best is the "you will go to jail for pretty close to life". you're ridiculous man.

  • I agree. Excellent vid.

  • Hey, solid job. Good cuts, good soundtrack. Good textual narration. And pretty steady for free-handing too.

  • I think air travel would be much more exciting without air traffic control.

  • N.A.T.C.A has the coolest beer cuzies ever. Thanks for the party Potomac Tracon.

  • just like here!

    greetings from NAS Kingsville, Tx (KNQI) TRACON Facility!

  • Awsesome; appreciate the inside look!

  • Excellent production! I recognised the GRITT waypoint from flying FS2004.

  • amazing, i always wondered how it looks like inside the tower

  • it seems the background ATC is come from flight simulator, but still a good video.

  • Up to 2:26, that's the simulators. However, everything after that is real traffic.

  • there are a number of sites where you could here LIVE atc, search it up ongoogle

  • hey thats great to see. I am a pilot for Mesaba airlines. Its cool to see what you guys actually do. I have never got to go inside a tracon or center. just been up in a tower at a small airport. always fun to see behind the scenes footage.

  • I love being a controller! I'm an Air Force controller, but it's the exact same thing except I get paid a lot less and deal with quite a few more military aircraft/pilots. It's weather, retarded pilots and random phenomena that usually throw a wrench in your routine that creates stress in this career field. The TMU was pretty neat though, you could see planes all the way up at HEVVN intersection coming down the DARBS1 arrival! Damn gulf flights...!

  • I really appreciate with what they do...

    And I play online as a controller at IVAO =)

  • Great video man.  Are you aiming to become a controller?

  • Thanks! Actually, I'm already in training to become one at a TRACON in the southeast. I'm certified to work 3 out of the 9 radar positions by myself, and am currently working on the next set of 3. It's a fun job, though the training can kick your ass at times.

  • how did you get camera inside the TRACON as far as i know it is really strict place?

  • I went with my class. The camera I was using was a huge Sony VX2100, so it's not like I was being secret about it. It's a four pound, foot-long pro camera, so I couldn't have hid it even if I tried. I was actually surprised that no one said anything - supervisors, controllers, or staff - so I just kept on filming. I mean, how often does one get to see this kind of thing? I thought it'd be cool to show the rest of the world how things look in there.

  • it is but its not like top secret. lol

  • sighs, i applied online to be an ATC in canada, but after reading a bunch of reviews and watching some vids, its a lot on ur head, and a lot of stress, but the money earned in canada is really high, but again i dunno if i can handle it, i already have a hard time dealing with depression, is it really hard and stressful as people say it is?

  • Read all about my ATC training: pinguinomalo . blogspot . com.

    At my facility, the sky will be empty one minute and the next you're talking 20 airplanes. Usually it's routine procedures that become second nature over time, but every once in a while you'll see something strange. Is it stressful? Yes, but not every moment of every day.

    I used to get down on myself a lot but not anymore. Why? Because it's a challenge and you can really pat yourself on the back when you do it well.

  • cool video! I learned something, for once. :)

  • Awesome video! Air Traffic Control might be the career I've been looking for. I wonder why the flag is at half-staff in the beginning.

  • I visited it during the national mourning period for Gerald Ford's death.

  • OK thx

  • Nice, does anyone know the name of the song in the begining? :P

  • It's a Buddy Collette song, but I can't recall the title.

  • so cool. im leavin for the air force april 29th... THIS IS MY SLOTTED JOB!!

  • Hey im leaving for ATC in the USAF too! I leave Aug 5th. I guess our tech school is at keesler AFB mississipi. by the way where you from? Im from kansas

  • buffalo ny

  • awesome!! -pilot-

  • Very cool,We (MDC) students went to MIA tower and we actually had a real ER during the tour, everything went ok, of course. It was my first visit, hopefully not my last.

  • Awsome video! We need a new holiday to celebrate those men and women who keep us safe and "organised" in the sky above. :)

  • Awesome video!! im thinking of begin an ATC btw im still in high school lol

  • am join the civil aviation nxt year but dun kno if i want to be an ATC ,Great job guys

  • I like to be an air traffic controller but I am over 31. You guys ATC doing a fine job. Thank you for your hardwork and dedication.

  • are these systems slated to be updated in the near future?

  • Actually the stars system is the updated system. You should see what was around before that

  • Hehe - I'm currently USING what was around before then. Only a small percentage of the facilities have been upgraded to STARS. Many are still using the old round green monochrome ARTS scopes.

  • very good point, I just came from a tower using stars, and now I am on the old ADPE. And it pretty much blows, we will just leave it at that

  • lol, it's amazing that the pilots are able to capture all those instructions that ATC rattles off.

  • wow those miami controllers can really rattle off those intstructions fast

  • lol at 5:45

    "for your patience and answering all of our MAN questions"

    :P

  • Yeah, LOL... there's a few typos. I misspelled a couple names and misheard the approach clearance. Unfortunately, YouTube won't let you re-upload a video without blanking your views and comments. You essentially have to delete the old one and start anew.

  • This is amazing. I understand only 1% of the US population can do this job. Lots try but lots fail.

    I saw that comments are about Europe and privataze. Isn't Europe (U.K.) About the size of Texas, and that UK has about that many airplanes flying into and out of UK, when the USA is a much larger area to serve?

    I think the government should maintain the rights to do this job. I see to many airlines that go bankrupt.

  • the FAA IS THE ISSUE. This govt is EXTREMELY SLOW in hiring ATC's and putting them into Oklahoma City for Specialized traning. I am an ATC and this GOVT IS WAY TOO SLOW BECAUSE OF BUSH. They have cut down pay scale because they are putting the money into IRAQ!!!!

    Controllers are eligible for retirement at every airport, nearly 1500 this year.

  • omg. isn't envoirment inside a atc tower considered a "secret"?

    useful video though i plays flight simulator x.

  • there's a program out there call ATC2. Or Air Traffic Controller 2 Simulator. It has an addon that allows folks with MS Flight Sim X to recieve data from the ATC simulator so you can fly in simulated air space with other air craft and even other Flight Sim users. if you want the url, send me a message. =)

  • i've have a friend who got accepted to be an ATC and was telling me about different games. I just applied with the FAA myself, so PLEASE give me the lowdown/link on that game...THANKS!!!!

  • Should I become a pilot or an ATC? hmmm..

  • Wicked--great job on this video; very informative, good vid and audio. Gotta laugh, though, it sounded like they were using pretty standard phraseology to me. I think a lot of the people who act like know it alls on these aviation posts have logged all their time on a flight sim on their computer and never flown anything that actually got off the ground.

  • We need to build more of these towers. Maybe we should privatize it so it gets done. Why let the govt keep a hold of it so they can "fly it into the ground". (I'm not saying anything bad about the people, just the policy.)

    Thanks for keeping us safe.

  • More towers are not the issue. The airlines are the issue. Besides, the FAA doesn't even have the staff for the towers and centers they do have.

  • The Airlines are not the problem. The NTSB has recommended for years implementing a newer ATC system to the FAA and they have finally begun to respond with GPS,WAAS and NAVAIDS to prevent delays and incursions. A big deal is getting away from Victor airways and allowing pilots to deviate courses to save time safely and efficiently.

  • Actually, the airlines ARE the problem. It's simple math. On an ideal weather day, a certain airport can accept only 60 aircraft PER HOUR. Yet the airlines will routinely schedule 90. The 30 left will then spill over to the next hour... making 120... Who cares if you get there faster with GPS and NexGen if you've got no where to land?

  • The only way to decrease delays is mini-hubbing, more runways airline rescheduling. more direct routing will only put the guys behind you into airborne holding or groundstops that much faster. add in a little weather and then where are we?

  • definately the airlines are the problem. I used to do crew scheduling for Spirit, and I can tell you LaGuardia Ground Delay Programs of 1 hour plus are the expected daily norm ;)

  • Air traffic school....boringgggggg

  • ATC ain't for everybody, jeanetteaw. Why would you want to waste your time viewing something that you've predetermined to be boring? I guess you're more interested by UFOs as evidenced by your favs list. Maybe you should be at the local Star Trek convention, or talking with Dionne Warwick on the psychic hotline.

  • Why don't you lighten up. Who asked you to comment on my post or be so nosey as to view my favs? Who made you god of this post??? How do you know I pre-determined it to be boring? I watched the whole thing, and still say, boringggg. So get a life. If your idea of watching this video is fun, and a good time, then find a way to marry this video.

  • Jeanetteaw: It absolutely looks boring, because everything is going smoothly in the video. However, when the weather comes in, the airports get clogged, and the pilots start getting freaky in the air, your heart will be pounding.

  • Lol...that sounds a little more like it.

  • As European proud pilot it's good to see there's someone that understand how things going.Faa should follow our modern systems and rules. They are unprepared, unpolite and VERY badly spoken with such a luck of standard phraseology.

  • If we followed your "rules" we'd have to reduce capacity by half. What good is "standard phraseology" when your going down the crapper and delays are through the roof? I'd rather have someone who talked normal and got the job done, then someone who sounded pretty but created massive delays.

  • Boy. FAA and its OLD technology, arrogant badly spoken controllers, old, clomsy, slow system. They should follow the tracks of Eurocontrol.

  • .<b>Nicely composed video! Sure is a priviledge to be on the "other side" of the microphone :-)

  • Enjoy yourself boys and girls for now, but when Lockheed takes over it'll be a total clusterfuck.

    Ref: What LM and the FAA are doing to AFSS.

  • Wickedpenguin thanks for spelling judgement with an 'e',I've always defended this alternate spelling.

  • how did u get in the tower?

  • Just ask. Call the tower and set up a time. The FAA actually encourages this for student pilots.

  • A precision instrument approach system which normally consists of the following electronic components and visual aids: 1. Localizer 2. Glideslope 3. Outer marker 4. Middle Marker 5. Approach Lights

    Taken from the Pilot/Controller Glossary, Airman Information Manual, FAA.

    Anywho have fun all, keep the blue side up and green between

  • ResolvingChaos - I understand about simplifying it, and sorry about the flamewar. However, when cleared for an ILS you are already on finals, so you should have already followed the initial stages of the approach by then.

  • How the hell do they speak that fast, i wouldnt understand anything if i were flying !!

  • Most of what they say is extremely repetitive, and they pass similar instructions to almost every aricraft, and the a/c would almost expect to hear certain things.

    If you look at about 3:54, the instructions that the controller gives to COA189 gives a lot of information very quickly, but the pilot of that a/c would expect some of that or can look it up (the "cleared for ILS approach runway 9" basically tells the pilot to look at a simplified map of the area around the airport and follow it)

  • "Cleared for ILS approach runway 9" basically tells the pilot to look at a simplified map of the area around the airport and follow it

    You, sir, are an idiot. ILS is a type of approach, flown in bad weather, or generally by larger jets. It can be flown manually using instruments or automatically using the autopilot. It is done by following a glide slope and a heading. Don't bullshit about stuff you don't know about, nothing annoys me more.

  • @SGTMattyW: this isn't a place to have a flamewar. However, it appears that I should justify myself. <br><br> I do indeed know what ILS is. I was simply using it as an example of my reply to the guy who commented about how pilots can understand ATC speaking so quickly. The statement you quote