Transportation Traffic Controller
Quick Facts
Median Salary$109,578
Most Common EducationHigh school or GED
Projected 10-Year Growth-0.66%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Transportation Traffic Controller monitors vehicle movement at airports, seaports, rail yards and stations, and large distribution centers. Monitors the takeoff and landing routes and schedules for airplanes at a commercial airport or military airbase. Coordinates the movement of large merchant vessels or cruise ships in and out of port.
Core Tasks:
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
- Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
- Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers.
- Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.
- Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
- Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes.
- Initiate or coordinate searches for missing aircraft.
- Provide on-the-job training to new air traffic controllers.
- Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes.
- Relay air traffic information, such as courses, altitudes, or expected arrival times, to control centers.
- Inspect, adjust, or control radio equipment or airport lights.
- Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations.
- Organize flight plans or traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace.
- Review records or reports for clarity and completeness and maintain records or reports, as required under federal law.
- Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft.
What to expect as a Transportation Traffic Controller
1Earn a High school or GED Diploma
29% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Transportation Traffic Controller related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
1343 openings for Transportation Traffic Controllers
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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