Air Traffic Control Specialist

About the role

Responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic control duties in a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Air Traffic Control Tower. Works under the general supervision of the Tower Manager who relies on the incumbent to perform established duties independently. On new or revised procedures, the manager gives detailed instructions and observes and checks work during or immediately after completion according to complexity of the task or until satisfied the incumbent can perform it independently.

Responsibilities

• Make decisions involving the order of departures to assure equitable treatment and that departing IFR flights operate at the fix, altitude, and time designated by center or approach control clearances.
• Determine the times and direction of takeoff and any turns necessary for departure.
• Decide whether inbound aircraft are to land immediately or circle and whether distances are lengthened to control the arrival of an aircraft at a given point.
• Select the active runway and possible simultaneous use of other runways.
• Determine the time and methods by which arrivals and departures can be interspersed with the least delay to traffic.
• Clear landing and departing aircraft to use runways to assure standard separation between aircraft on the runways.
• Sequence arriving traffic before it enters the traffic pattern to assure a safe, orderly flow of aircraft on final approach to the landing runway.
• Apply IFR separation standards, as delegated by approach control or center, in limited areas around the airport to provide initial separation between IFR arrivals and IFR departures and between successive IFR departures.
• Sequence VFR and IFR traffic, using radar equipment as an aid and, when delegated, separating IFR traffic.
• Authorize VFR flights through the airport traffic area when appropriate.
• Determine the usability of communications frequencies and other navigational aids used to control air traffic.
• Monitor navigational aids and control panels, including BRITE display, to determine acceptability of its alignment and display presentation.
• Instruct pilots to change radio frequencies/radar beacon codes.
• Coordinate with other controllers on movements of arrival and departure aircraft when appropriate.
• When traffic conditions warrant, preplan traffic sequencing and separation over an area which may reach out to a radius of 5 miles or more.
• Preplan and set up check points required to ensure maintenance of necessary traffic separation.
• Maintain a continuous mental picture and evaluation of a constantly changing traffic complex frequency dispersed over an equivalent geographic area.
• Maintain continuous radio watch with aircraft which have previously contacted the facility.
• Accept responsibility to handle IFR traffic at his/her airport.
• Study weather bureau reports and forecasts, obtain LAWRS/SAWRS weather certification, observe weather from the tower and record pilot reports to determine the effect of present and anticipated weather on traffic; furnish aircraft with information such as field conditions, altimeter settings, weather conditions, operating status of navigational aids, and observed malfunctioning of aircraft; forward to the weather bureau and the appropriate center, pilot weather reports and reports based upon personal observation of weather conditions.
• Operate light guns, runway lights, field lighting, jet barriers, etc.
• Orient pilots of aircraft lost or in difficulty; determine whether a given situation may require notification of operations offices, airport management offices, and fire and ambulance services.
• Perform lower grade level duties as necessary to meet operational requirements and for proficiency maintenance.
• Provide OJT training to others.

Requirements

• Hold a Control Tower Operator (CTO) Certificate.
• Possess a current Class II Medical Certificate.
• Be subject to drug and/or alcohol testing per DOT/FAA requirements (pre‑employment, random, reasonable cause/suspicion, post‑accident).
• Have held a CTO with a facility rating or an FAA Credential with a