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Air Traffic Control: The High-Stakes Job You Never See | Jouhayna AlMheiri | TEDxGIIS Abu Dhabi
TEDx Talks· 2025-07-28 16:03
Industry Overview - Air traffic control is a male-dominated industry, with a significantly lower chance (0.3%) for women to succeed compared to men (3%) [1] - The air traffic control facility in Abu Dhabi handles over 1 million aircraft movements annually, averaging 2,700 aircraft movements per day [2] - There are three types of air traffic control: tower control, approach control, and area control [5][7][9] Air Traffic Control Functions - Tower controllers manage aircraft during takeoff, landing, and taxiing at the airport [5][10] - Approach controllers manage aircraft within a 50 to 100 kilometer radius of the airport, lining them up for landing [7][11] - Area controllers provide instructions for aircraft altitude and flight path, ensuring safe climb and cruise [9][12] Key Skills for Air Traffic Controllers - Calmness in high-pressure situations is crucial for making calculated decisions to ensure the safety of thousands of lives [13] - Assertive decision-making is necessary for air traffic controllers to be confident and sure in their actions [14] - Mental math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, are essential for calculating distance, speed, and time [15] - Situational awareness, both in 2D and 3D, is vital for visualizing aircraft positions and altitudes [16] - Emotional compartmentalization is important for maintaining mental health and focusing on the job [17]