The job of an air traffic controller (ATC) is a challenging and oftentimes stressful one. At the same time, it can be a rewarding and exciting career choice. Here is what you need to know about becoming an air traffic controller.

3 Steps to Becoming an Air Traffic Controller

1. Meet the Basic Eligibility Requirements

In the United States, most civilian ATCs are FAA employees. The agency hires periodically for the air traffic control jobs, which are also sometimes referred to as air traffic specialists.

Basic eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship, three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree (or a combination of both), the ability to speak English clearly, and a willingness to relocate.

Applicants must also be younger than 31 years of age, but there are exceptions for experienced ATCs. Males must also be registered for the Selective Service System if they are required to do so.

2. Apply

The FAA typically runs an annual recruitment campaign with a short application window lasting only a few days. Applications are submitted through the federal government’s job site, USA Jobs.

Applicants will then need to pass a skills assessment at an approved testing facility. The assessment is a multipart aptitude test that includes memory games, air traffic simulation, a personality test, and more.

The next step is to pass medical and security clearances. These include drug testing, medical exam, psychological testing, and federal background check.

3. Training

Successful applicants attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. ATC trainees are placed in one of three tracks (En Route, Terminal Radar, or Tower). Their time at the academy ranges from two to five months, depending on the track. 

Training continues at an air traffic control facility following graduation. It can take up to three years to be a fully certified controller.

Air Traffic Controller Salary

While attending the FAA Academy, trainees receive a pay of around $37,000 plus a per diem of approximately $100 per day.

Once they are assigned to a facility, their minimum annual wage is around $46,000 plus a locality pay that depends on their assigned facility. This typically leads to an annual salary of approximately $60,000 to $70,000.

ATCs receive salary increases as they complete each training phase, as well as throughout their careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for air traffic controllers in 2023 was $137,380 per year or $66.05 per hour.

Work Locations

FAA air traffic controllers work at facilities across the country.

While tower controllers work at airports, those in the other two tracks might work elsewhere. The facilities for En Route controllers and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) controllers are typically not located at an airport.

Applicants must be willing to relocate and work anywhere in the country. While they are given the opportunity to provide geographic preferences, the FAA assigns controllers based on its needs. Controllers can transfer between facilities throughout their careers.

Other Ways of Becoming an Air Traffic Controller

There are a few other ways of becoming an air traffic controller in the United States.

One is by joining the military as an ATC. Military controllers can earn the same FAA certifications as civilian controllers. In fact, many choose to become FAA air traffic controllers after they leave the military.

The FAA also has around 250 contract towers that are staffed by employees of private contracted companies. The approximately 1,400 air traffic contract controllers have to meet the same qualification and training requirements as FAA controllers. However, these companies typically only hire controllers who are already certified, meaning that most new hires are former FAA employees or military controllers.

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On Monday, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced that it and the Air Mobility Command (AMC), which provides aerial refueling and airlift services for U.S. forces worldwide, began testing a UAS traffic management (UTM) system at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

The system, called CLUE, or Collaborative Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, is designed to integrate UAS flights next to crewed aircraft above and around Air Force installations. According to the AFRL, MacDill is the first base to use a UTM system in airspace overseen by Department of Defense air traffic controllers.

“This is a significant milestone for AMC, AFRL, and the CLUE program, as the MacDill Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Defense Operations Center are first in the Air Force to operationally assess UTM capabilities,” said Phil Zaleski, manager of the AFRL CLUE program.

CLUE was born out of the AFRL’s Information Directorate as a project meant to provide “air domain awareness, situational awareness, and UTM operational capabilities for UAS operators, air traffic control [ATC] personnel, Security Forces and other stakeholders.”

The system arrived at MacDill in 2022, where initial testing focused on airspace deconfliction, communication, and security. The goal was to enable drone flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator, which are heavily scrutinized and restricted by the FAA.

Since then, the UTM platform has been developed to give air traffic controllers a three-dimensional view of UAS activity and make it possible to grant flight permissions automatically.

“Equipping airspace managers and UAS operators with a 3D operational viewing capability and additional features designed to reduce lengthy manual and advanced planning procedures will be critical to achieving real-time flight planning and mission execution,” said James Layton, chief of plans and programs at MacDill.

The system is also sensor-agnostic, meaning it integrates with an array of different sensors designed to detect, track, and identify drones, including a counter UAS system being tested at MacDill.

The Air Force in May began formally testing CLUE’s capabilities on the base, opening it to the site’s ATC tower, Defense Operations Center, and airfield management team. Personnel so far have used the system to plan the intent of UAS flights or let operators know where they are approved to fly a drone, for example.

Operators ask CLUE for the all clear to fly, and their request is either approved or denied by the control tower. Once permission is granted, they can fly within a bounded area. CLUE feeds the operators information about the airspace and other nearby aircraft, helping them stay within the approved zone while avoiding other drones.

The UTM system has also been installed at Eglin AFB’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where the AFRL conducted a demonstration of its capabilities in 2023. There, CLUE will begin by integrating flights of small UAS (weighing less than 70 pounds) before moving to larger designs, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis such as Joby Aviation’s five-seat S4.

Joby, partnering with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, earlier this year committed to deliver two air taxis to MacDill and has also shipped a prototype aircraft to Edwards AFB in California.

MacDill in May also hosted flights of a KC-135 Stratotanker equipped with an autonomous flight system from developer Merlin Labs, which is designed to one day enable fully remote flights. That technology, as well as systems from fellow AFWERX collaborators Xwing and Reliable Robotics, could one day be integrated into the CLUE UTM.

AFWERX and the AFRL are not the only government entities studying UTM systems. The Air Force is working with NASA to build a digital operations center for drones and electric air taxis nationwide and is collaborating with the FAA to integrate novel and uncrewed aircraft with air traffic control and other systems within the national airspace.

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Denver Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Colorado will receive $8 million to be used for a major tower renovation that includes the building’s elevator, HVAC system, plumbing, electrical, and exterior structure.

Space Coast Regional Airport (KTIX) in Titusville, Florida, will receive $2 million to be applied to the construction of a new air traffic control tower.

In Georgia, Valdosta Regional Airport (KVLD) has been awarded $3 million for the replacement of the air traffic control tower. The airport was built in 1940 and used by the military during World War II then returned to civilian use.

Boston Logan International Airport (KBOS) has been awarded $12 million to fund phase one of a two‐phase project to expand and renovate the existing air traffic control tower. Phase one includes the construction of new space to accommodate existing and new FAA equipment, technical operations, flight simulator, and contract weather observer.

• READ MORE: FAA Awards $92M for Airport Net-Zero Emission Goals

Martin State Airport (KMTN) in Baltimore has been awarded $5.4 million to partially fund the replacement of the present control tower, which goes back decades, and according to the FAA has “reached the end of its useful life.” The airport used to house the factory of the Glenn L. Martin Company, which produced military aircraft between 1920 and the 1960s. The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum remains on the property.

Duluth International Airport (KDLH) in Minnesota will get $10 million for the relocation of an airport-owned air traffic control tower. The present tower is a nonstandard structure built decades ago. The airport saw extensive use during WWII and remains a popular venue for airshows.

Francis S. Gabreski Airport (KFOK) in Westhampton Beach, New York, is expecting $4.9 million to be used to partially fund the construction of a new tower to replace the existing one built—alongside the airport—by the military during WWII. After the war, the airport reverted to civilian use, then was called back into service by the military in 1951. It remained a military facility until 1969 when it was then transferred to Suffolk County for use as a civilian airport. The FAA noted the existing tower does meet current standards.

Tulsa International Airport (KTUL) in Oklahoma is picking up $12.5 million to cover approximately 25 percent of the construction costs for a new air traffic control tower.

Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas (KHRL), received $4.5 million toward the construction of a new FAA contract tower. The FAA stated that the existing tower is not ADA compliant and has structural integrity issues.

A closer look at the distribution of the grant money can be found here.

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Answer: Having an airline service the airport isn’t the criteria used by the FAA  to determine if the facility needs a control tower. Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport (KRHI) in Wisconsin, for example, does not have a control tower, yet it is served daily by a regional airline connecting to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (KMSP).

The FAA uses the number of aircraft operations—that is how busy the airport is—to determine if a tower is warranted. This is very similar to how cities monitor traffic on streets and install traffic lights to replace four-way stop signs when traffic increases.

The majority of the airports in the United States are nontowered because they don’t have the traffic to necessitate a control tower. Pilots learn to fly in and out of both towered and nontowered (also known as pilot-controlled) airports as part of their training. Pilots are taught to see and avoid other traffic—no matter what kind of airport they are at. While tower controllers will provide traffic advisories if able, pilots don’t rely on them to report when someone else is out there.

• READ MORE: Who Controls Offshore Airspace?

Additionally, not all towers are open 24/7. Busier airports, such as airline hub locations like Seattle, Atlanta, New York City, etc., have full-time towers, while smaller, less busy airports may have part-time towers. Tacoma Narrows Airport (KTIW), located 15 nm south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA), has several busy flight schools, so there is a control tower that operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. PDT.

Pilots are taught to check their sectionals (a map for pilots) and other airport information listed online or in an FAA text called the Chart Supplement to determine if a facility has a control tower and, if so, learn its hours of operation and radio frequency to contact it.

The post Why Don’t All Airports Have Control Towers? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The space agency and eVTOL manufacturer Joby Aviation recently teamed up to recruit active and retired air traffic controllers for a series of simulations, which explored how current ATC tools and procedures could help introduce the first wave of air taxis at U.S. airports. The partners tested how hundreds of eVOL flights per hour would impact operations in complex airspace—and gleaned a few key insights.

“This simulation validates the idea that we can find a way to safely integrate these vehicles into the airspace at scale,” said NASA researcher Ken Freeman.

As the U.S. prepares for eVTOL air taxis to enter service around airports, with the earliest services expected to arrive in 2025, NASA and its industry partners are working with the FAA to demonstrate how existing ATC tools can enable safe integration. The vision is in line with the FAA’s Innovate28 philosophy for early air taxi operations, which calls for the aircraft to use existing regulations and infrastructure.

The series of human-in-the-loop simulations was conducted out of NASA’s FutureFlight Central virtual tower facility, which offers a 360-degree view of a real-time simulation of an airport. NASA and Joby engineers simulated traffic patterns at Dallas Love Field (KDAL) and Dallas-Fort Worth area airports to represent complex, busy airspace.

Using predetermined routes developed by NASA at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and Love Field, eVTOL pilots flew in simulated weather conditions, producing mock flight data and airport operational data. ATC also evaluated traffic schedules developed by Joby, based on the company’s expectations for future demand.

During an hour of simulation, controllers tested their ability to integrate up to 120 eVTOL arrivals and departures from KDFW’s central terminal area, alongside existing traffic. They used routes and procedures often seen in busy, low-altitude airspace, including Letters of Agreement and dedicated controller positions. At any given moment in the campaign, up to 45 simulated aircraft were flying in virtual Class B airspace.

“We have now demonstrated in a real-world simulation how air taxi operations can take place in today’s airspace system, alongside active airport traffic, using tools and procedures currently available to air traffic controllers,” said Tom Prevot, air taxi product lead at Joby. “These successful simulations were made possible by years of careful planning and collaboration between two organizations committed to redefining what is possible.”

According to NASA, pilots operated safely and seamlessly across the simulations, even in congested airspace. In addition, representatives from NASA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NACTA) and other stakeholders were invited to observe the tests.

“There is so much momentum across the world for advanced air mobility,” said Savvy Verma, an urban air mobility researcher at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Northern California’s Silicon Valley. “We’ve been talking about integrating these kinds of vehicles into the airspace, but to be able to show it in high-fidelity simulation is very promising.”

Based on NASA’s initial analysis of the simulations, the space agency believes the procedures used could be scaled for operations at other airports nationwide, which would reduce ATC workload. Next year, the agency will publish a full analysis of the results, sharing the data with the FAA, airports, and commercial industry to identify ATC tools and procedures for near-term and future integration.

“Enabling eVTOLs as a taxi service for passengers to and from airports in the future could begin to reduce carbon emissions and greatly improve the commute experience for passengers,” NASA said.

NASA and Joby’s jointly developed simulation campaign follows a multiyear airspace study in which the two partnered to develop five use cases for eVTOL operations around Dallas-Fort Worth. The groups are also exploring potential changes to the national airspace system that would enable air taxi integration at greater scale.

“We’re trying to enable a better quality of life,” said Verma. “Some people are stuck in traffic for hours on the way to the airport. A 12-mile trip can take 45 minutes. Imagine being able to do that same trip in 15 minutes.”

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The assessment was commissioned by the agency following its March Safety Summit, which focused on a recent string of close calls at airports across the country. Conducted by an independent safety review team, the report covered the FAA’s internal safety processes, staffing levels and practices, facility and equipment needs, and funding.

Among its recommendations, the team called for the strengthening of FAA organizational structures, further investment in the hiring, training, and certification of personnel, and adequately and consistently funding and authorizing the agency.

• READ MORE: Rise in Aviation Mishaps Focus of FAA Safety Summit

“Generally, the ATO [Air Traffic Organization] employs robust policies, procedures, and programs to manage safety risk and enjoys a just safety culture,” the team said in its report. “However, the FAA continues to be asked to do more with less in an already strained system, and the series of serious incidents in early 2023 illuminate significant challenges to the provision and safety oversight of air traffic services. These challenges, in the areas of process integrity, staffing, and facilities, equipment, and technology, all have ties to inadequate, inconsistent funding.”

As part of its plan to address the safety review team’s recommendations, the FAA will no longer be requiring graduates of the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program to attend the agency’s Air Traffic Controller Academy prior to being assigned to an ATC facility. Graduates will still need to pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam along with satisfying medical and security requirements. The FAA noted that it will be working with AT-CTI programs to ensure that graduates have the skills necessary to begin on-the-job training.

“Aviation is safe because we are continuously looking for ways to improve,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “The independent safety review team made some excellent recommendations, and we are adopting some of them immediately.”

The FAA also announced a year-round hiring track aimed at bringing in “experienced controllers from the military and private industry.” In addition, it intends to increase classroom capacity at the FAA academy and expand advanced training across the country. Looking toward longer-term training needs, the agency plans to deploy tower simulator systems in 95 facilities by December 2025, the first of which is scheduled to open in Austin, Texas, by January 2024.

Finally, the FAA says reports from the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service will be provided to the FAA administrator and Aviation Safety associate administrator with the goal of strengthening safety culture at the agency.

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After months of anticipation, the agency on Tuesday released its first implementation plan for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft such as eVTOL air taxis. Dubbed “Innovate28,” the living document, which will be updated periodically, is designed to enable AAM operations at scale in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, when several air taxi firms are expected to take to the skies.

Its publication follows the release of the FAA’s air taxi blueprint and a proposed rule for AAM pilot certification and training.

Innovate28 is focused solely on near-term operations through 2028. It defines AAM as “a transportation system that moves people and property by air between two points in the U.S. using aircraft with advanced technologies, including electric aircraft or eVTOL aircraft, in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.”

The plan lists the various stakeholders expected to contribute to AAM implementation, including the FAA, NASA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, Air Force, and other federal agencies and departments. AAM and power industry stakeholders and state, local, and tribal communities will have roles as well.

A core tenet of the plan is a “crawl-walk-run” approach, which will rely on existing infrastructure, regulations, and procedures to support earlier entry into service. It entails sequential steps the FAA and its partners will follow to certify aircraft and their operators, train pilots, manage airspace, develop new infrastructure, and more.

By 2028, the FAA hopes to see AAM operations at scale spanning multiple “key sites”—which, according to Innovate28, will mainly include existing airports and heliports.

“This plan shows how all the pieces will come together allowing the industry to scale, with safety as the North Star,” said Katie Thomson, deputy FAA administrator.

The 40-page document contains a mountain of proposals to sift through. But here are some of the key points:

Certification

Since AAM aircraft such as air taxis have yet to receive certification or begin commercial operations, the bulk of the FAA’s plan centers around what those processes may look like.

AAM aircraft will be certified under the agency’s special class category as was previously announced in 2022. But certification bases will also draw upon performance-driven regulations under Part 23. The process will take environmental factors like noise into account and allow the FAA to approve unique design features without a special condition or exemption, as would be required in the standard category.

The FAA has also proposed that AAM aircraft manufacturers be required to develop and implement safety management systems, organization-wide policies for managing safety and risk, as part of the process.

Currently, the agency’s Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) is working toward certification with more than two dozen AAM manufacturers, such as Joby and Archer Aviation. About half of them have progressed far enough to manufacture flying prototypes. 

AIR is also looking to establish certification pathways for AAM-specific technologies, including electric propulsion, lithium-ion battery systems, hydrogen fuel cells, automation, and VTOL capabilities for winged aircraft.

Companies operating AAM aircraft will need to be certified as Part 135 air carriers, as eVTOL and air taxis are expected to operate under those rules. For prospective pilots, the FAA is drawing up a new certification and training regimen that should be finalized in the coming months.

Operations

Now let’s dive into operations. At least through 2028, AAM aircraft will fly on predetermined routes and schedules, with pilots on board. They’ll be able to travel between certain sites—such as from Vertiport Chicago to O’Hare International Airport (KORD)—but flights will be heavily limited to dedicated corridors and flyways.

In urban and metropolitan areas, where the bulk of air taxi operations are expected to take place, aircraft will fly no higher than 4,000 feet. Within controlled Class B and C airspace, they’ll be required to use existing or modified low-altitude VFR corridors when possible. And to enter airspace around airports, they’ll need clearance from air traffic control.

“It is likely these aircraft will be treated as any other fixed wing/rotorcraft operating under VFR conditions, to the extent they are able to comply with existing rules, regulations, and procedures,” the document reads.

The FAA is currently engaged in further rulemaking for AAM operations that will codify the aforementioned proposals. But in the interim it expects to rely on waivers and exemptions to get eVTOL and air taxis off the ground before 2028.

Infrastructure

As mentioned above, the FAA wants to maximize the use of existing aviation infrastructure in the near term until dedicated vertiports and urban traffic management services come online.

According to Innovate28, initial operations will take place largely at existing heliports, commercial service airports, and general aviation airports. However, operators, manufacturers, state, local, and tribal governments, and other non-FAA stakeholders will be responsible for planning, developing, and maintaining AAM infrastructure at existing airfields.

That means, for example, that partners Archer and United Airlines may need to install vertiport terminals, charging stations, parking zones, or taxiing areas at O’Hare themselves in order to launch their planned air taxi route in Chicago—the FAA won’t help them.

According to the FAA, electrical power grids may also require upgrades to accommodate the influx of electric AAM aircraft. It has an interagency agreement with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab to study how aircraft electrification will affect airport, heliport, and vertiport power grids. But don’t be surprised if the grid creates problems for AAM early on.

Other Details

The bulk of Innovate28 focuses on certification, operations, and infrastructure. But the document also touches on a few other key areas.

One is assessing the environmental impacts of AAM aircraft. Though the FAA faces a lawsuit from five environmental groups over its handling of April’s SpaceX Starship launch, the agency appears dedicated to sustainable eVTOL flight. It says it will consider environmental impacts such as noise, air quality, visual disturbances, and disruptions to wildlife when certifying new AAM aircraft. 

But it still needs to identify which actions besides certification—such as the establishment of air taxi routes—will trigger compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Community engagement appears to be another key emphasis of Innovate28. Per the plan, the FAA will work with airports and state, local, and tribal communities to better understand their concerns about AAM operations, such as some of the aforementioned environmental impacts. It notes that other stakeholders, including AAM, airport, and vertiport operators, will play an important role in working with local communities.

Security is the final area the plan (briefly) touches on. The Department of Homeland Security “will determine what type of security is necessary,” the document notes. The FAA and Transportation Security Administration, meanwhile, will evaluate the expansion of cybersecurity requirements due to the influx of new technology.

Innovate28 is jam-packed with other proposals. But the gist is that the plan should help eVTOL companies chart a path to certification and operations, transform a handful of airfields into AAM hubs, and bring together stakeholders across the industry to address and alleviate concerns.

There’s still a lot that needs to happen before air taxis fly at the 2028 Olympic Games. But the publication of an initial implementation plan is a huge step, and it should guide the AAM industry for years to come.

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The airport is near the northern tip of the state, and you can fly into New York and Pennsylvania, and all over New England, without ever having to speak with an air traffic controller. For many years this arrangement suited me well because I rarely traveled long distances, and when I did, avoiding busy airspace around Boston and New York was easy.

Lately, though, I have begun taking more ambitious trips covering hundreds of nautical miles. I also have my own airplane, which is a lot faster and more capable than the Cessna 172 I flew previously. Traveling as directly as possible has become a priority as my range of destinations has diversified and the legs have grown longer. Besides, I want to give my passengers, typically my family, as much of a safe, professional, airline-like experience as possible.

• READ MORE: Finding Your Ideal Aircraft Without Remorse for Buyer or Seller

The result of all this feels like a sort of conversion. After spending most of my flying career avoiding ATC, I now talk to controllers on most flights. Part of the reason is that I have begun flying to more places that happen to have towered airports. But I have also realized that passing through controlled airspace is faster and less stressful than flying under, over, or around it.

A recent flight from Sussex to Cape May, New Jersey (KWWD), is a good example. This is an especially appealing trip because Cape May is a beautiful, popular beach town that, during the summer, could cost you several hours in slow-moving highway traffic. It makes a strong case for flying, as our Commander 114B can make the 132 nm transit in an hour.

The wrinkle is that flying south from Sussex is more challenging than heading north, and what seems at first like a simple due-south jaunt actually presents a number of airspace considerations. The direct flight path takes you close to New York Class B early in the flight and Atlantic City (KACY) Class C toward the end. Right in the middle, though, you encounter Philadelphia (KPHL) Class B and the military airspace over Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (KWRI), which overlap on your course. Skirting this area requires a major, time-consuming diversion that eats away at the advantage of going by air.

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I called New York Approach about 10 minutes into the flight, got a squawk code, and the rest was straightforward. They handed me off to Philadelphia, which guided me for most of the trip, including the overlap with McGuire, before switching to Atlantic City. Radar service ended about 15 miles from Cape May, giving me time to descend for arrival on 19. I think one cross-country flight, alone with the radio, will convince most ATC-averse pilots to get in touch.

In hindsight, it is clear that I quietly avoided flying to Cape May for years because every time I considered that busy-looking route on the chart, I found other, less-demanding flights to take. So much for freedom. Embracing the air traffic system has opened up the skies and vastly improved our travel experience. Radar service has turned out to be a good thing, typically getting us from A to B faster than if we had skipped ATC. 

• READ MORE: Towered Airport vs. Non-Towered Operations

Longtime IFR pilots who routinely communicate with controllers might tell radio-shy colleagues to just get over it, key the mic and start talking. In a way, they are right. Getting past our apprehension toward ATC is like slipping into a cold swimming pool. Immersion tends to be the most effective method. It is also a good idea to review radio procedures, practice making concise, accurate calls, and if it helps, develop an in-character radio voice. I go back and forth between Bob Hoover and Lyle Shelton.

The post Your Ideal Aircraft Belongs on ATC Radar appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The transportation agency said it did not know what was causing the interference, which is difficult to detect on the ground or verify because of the relatively short durations of interference.

Reports of the disruptions began to emerge after President Biden met in Washington, D.C., with Finland’s president to discuss “deepening defense ties” between the country and NATO amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reported.

Traficom said late last week it had received “numerous occurrence reports” of GPS signal interference along the border beginning the weekend of March 5.

Fintraffic Air Navigation Services Ltd. issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) informing pilots of the issue and instructing them to use traditional approach systems that do not require a GPS signal for flying the final approach. Airlines were also told to make their own decisions about whether or not to fly in the region.

“An aircraft operated by the Lithuanian carrier Transaviabaltika has been unable to fly from Tallinn to Savonlinna for three days,” Traficom said in a March 10 statement.

While some aircraft are able to use inertial reference system (IRS) to fix the airplane’s position as a workaround for GPS, it’s a system not common on smaller aircraft, according to Mentourpilot.com. Transaviabaltika, which operates 19-seat turboprops, was forced to cancel at least 18 flights owing to the GPS interference, it reported.

• READ MORE: Analysts Speculate Russia Might Not Return Hundreds of Leased Airliners

Despite the disruptions, flying remains safe, a top Traficom official said.

“Airlines have procedures they follow if the GPS signal is lost,” Traficom Director Jari Pöntinen said in a statement. “Aircraft can use other systems to navigate and land safely. Air traffic control supports aircraft pilots with the help of other landing systems.”

News of the GPS jamming follows similar reports in Ukraine, where extensive GPS interference has been reported over the last four months, according to HawkEye 360, a radio frequency data analytics company based in Herndon, Virginia.

In November 2021, the company detected extensive GPS interference along pro-Russian separatist controlled regions of Ukraine along the border with Russia, which disrupted the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the area. Interference was again detected prior to the invasion as Russian troops amassed along Ukraine’s northern border with Belarus, north of Chernobyl, the company said.

“GPS is a fundamental ‘global commons’ service that all modern economies depend upon. GPS signal interference has the potential to significantly disrupt air travel, logistics, finance, transportation, communication, and many other basic services,” John Serafini, chief executive officer of HawkEye 360, said in a statement. “Whether unintentional or deliberate, interference that prevents people, vehicles, ships, and planes from determining accurate locations can be devastating to government and commercial activities alike.”

The post Pilots In Eastern Finland Warned Of GPS Interference Near Russian Border appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Alaska Airlines and Airspace Intelligence have signed a multi-year contract for a “first-of-its-kind partnership to optimize air traffic flow using artificial intelligence and machine learning.” In a news release, Alaska Airlines said the partnership will use, “Flyways AI … that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to assist dispatchers in making flight operations more efficient and sustainable by optimizing routes and improving the predictability and flow of airline traffic. Alaska is the first airline worldwide to adopt the technology.”

“The commitment to a continued partnership comes after an initial six-month trial program, during which Alaska’s dispatchers used the new AI-powered flight prediction information to help them plan, monitor, and make recommendations for rerouting flights to avoid issues like congested airspace and bad weather. Flyways found an opportunity to reduce miles and fuel use for 64 percent of mainline flights, of which dispatchers evaluated and accepted 32 percent of the Flyways recommendations.”

Because the airline’s dispatchers must account for weather, turbulence, and traffic volume in their planning efforts, “Flyways shows all that information on a dynamic 4D map,” said the release. “When it finds a better route, the system provides actionable recommendations to flight dispatchers who then decide whether to accept and implement the recommended solution or decline. Predictive modeling allows Flyways to ‘look into the future,’ helping inform users how the airspace will evolve as weather and congestion change. Flyways looks at all scheduled and active flights across the US, scanning air traffic systemwide, rather than focusing on a single flight. This allows it to avoid air traffic congestion. The Flyways-monitored flight is being routed to a different, less crowded route so that it can arrive on time and avoid weather.”

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are among the top drivers of technology today and, for the first time, have been applied to the airline flight planning environment,” said Pasha Saleh, flight operations strategy and innovation director for Alaska Airlines. “Alaska’s use of Flyways in just six months, even with significantly depressed flying due to COVID-19, enabled us to save 480,000 gallons of fuel and avoid 4,600 tons of carbon emissions.”

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