Real Air Traffic Control

A glimpse of a real air traffic control facility. Whenever you fly, folks like those shown in here are watching over you, making sure you arrive safely. It's a vital profession and, as you will see, requires a lot of concentration, skill, and judgement. I shot the video at Miami Tower on a class tour and edited it together, dropping in explanations for what is shown on screen. It starts off with their training simulator, then moves on to the "real deal".

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• air
• traffic
• control
• atc
• aviation
• airplane
• radar
• scope
• crash
• line
• stars
• miami
• tower
• tracon
• center

[osotegreat]

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

[Wickedpenguin]

@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.

[Wickedpenguin]

@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.

[RenoDoctor]

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.

[Wickedpenguin]

@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.

[deathleader52]

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.

[globb14]

@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?

[confoundicator]

These guys don't make enough money.

[ewmegoolies]

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.

[2004JETTA]

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

[redviper2GAMER]

@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?

[pdutube]

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

[elbnderi]

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?