OCCUPATION THESAURUS

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Occupation Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

There’s probably a good reason why your character chose their career. Think about how certain talents and skills, a dominant positive or negative trait, or even an emotional wound might have influenced this decision. And once they're on the job, don't forget about the many work-related conflict scenarios you can throw at them to create tension and add complications.
OVERVIEW:
Air traffic controllers oversee and maintain the safety of those traveling in the air and on runways. They provide instructions to pilots for taking off and landing their planes, as well as monitoring and changing the flight patterns for aircraft. Once a plane is out of range, controllers relinquish responsibility to other air traffic centers. They also may be responsible for training, managing, and providing stress defusing for team members. Constant focus and quick decision-making are necessary during shifts, making this job a stressful one.

NECESSARY TRAINING:
Many branches of the military offer training programs for this career. For civilians, at minimum, an associate degree in air traffic control is needed, as is certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. To obtain the latter, one must pass a written and practical exam and accumulate the appropriate amount of experience. Reference letters and recommendations can help characters enter additional training programs, most of which are specific to the unit or sector of application.

Acceptance into an air traffic control position is rare for anyone over the age of thirty, especially if the applicant is new to the field. Anyone with a criminal history will likely be turned down.

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES:
DETAIL-ORIENTED, EQUANIMITY, GOOD WITH NUMBERS, MULTILINGUALISM, MULTITASKING, PREDICTING THE WEATHER, RESEARCH, STRATEGIC THINKING

HELPFUL POSITIVE TRAITS:
...

EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT MAY HAVE FACTORED INTO THIS OCCUPATION CHOICE:
...

SOURCES OF FRICTION:
...

PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH:
...

HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT ONE'S BASIC NEEDS:
...

...

TWISTING THE STEREOTYPE:
...

REASONS THE CHARACTER MAY HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THIS PROFESSION:
...