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  • I work for the Royal Australian Airforce

  • I initially joined as a pilot,

  • but I didn't pass pilot's course, so I switched to air traffic control

  • A lot people here have a background in aviation and it can be advantageous.

  • However they're air traffic controllers from all walks of life.

  • I have to check the day's schedules before I start and see if there has been any changes to the local orders,

  • including any changes to radio telephony or separation standards.

  • Safety is our primary concern.

  • They're regulations just at every situation, and I need to know them all!

  • This is a training base, so the pilots are learning basic skills.

  • In this room we're monitoring the flight paths outside the Tower

  • and letting the pilots know what they can and can't do!

  • It's a team environment, It takes more than just a pilot,

  • to safely fly a plane.

  • You've also got Ground control, Tower control

  • people like myself in the approach room.

  • and other traffic control agencies all needing information on each individual flight.

  • You might have to take information from all different areas at once.

  • You might have aircraft talking to you, other controllers talking to you, taking information from the radar screen

  • and also needing to write on flight progress strips.

  • You need to be able to calmly interpret all the information.

  • Determine what you are going to do and say. Make a plan and carry it through!

  • Time for a break!

  • It's good to get away from the screens for awhile although most times,

  • you find yourself doing more work on tasks such as administration, stock control

  • briefings and training.

  • Part of the job is to provide training to other people

  • so they can learn the skills to be able to do the job by themselves.

  • ".. by talking to tango 211 first when you cross the line, that way,

  • when 226 calls us, we have time to sort him out, where as if we waited

  • 226 calls us we deal with him have a bit of a chat, tango 211

  • now gets initial approach fix, we haven't given him decent, so if we can do it

  • get it out of the way, straight out of the way."

  • Working for the defense forces

  • you get posted different places roughly every three to five years.

  • Some people don't like it.

  • But would be good to see new places, faces and bases.

  • " Kilo Whiskey Oscar, Pearce Centre identified seven zero miles south of Perth veered Bunbury

  • Perth, Jandakot flight level One Three Zero

  • Raptor, Pearce Centre, we have a civil aircraft transiting Romeo One Six Six at flight level

  • One Three zero

  • Can you except operation not below five one four zero?"

  • (Radio chatter: not below five one four zero and how long)

  • It‘s good to have maths and physics skills

  • to this job.

  • The one thing you learn is diplomacy. Sir! we got Kilo Whiskey Oscar

  • tracking Bunbury to Perth at flight level One Three Zero

  • we also have raptor tracking down to gulf

  • flight level one four zero

  • Their not willing to accept operations not below flight five four one zero

  • what do you reckon we should do?

  • keep Kilo Whiskey Oscar over land

  • and we will get Raptor over water there

  • OK! for the transmit

  • Raptor! do expect under restricted operations over water and gulf,

  • turn right, heading

  • One Niner Zero to establish

  • If we could do something with Springbok two eight zero and Raptor there

  • They are going to conflict at Canac

  • so we probable need to give them on track direct!

  • to his way point position

  • Springbox two eight zero cancel sid.

  • Redirect position to three three south one zero five east.

  • see if we can push them down quickly sir!

  • Max rate of decent

  • we'll tidy this up. Get Raptor full clearance

  • Everything that you do is recorded every transmission, every mouse click!

  • these are kept upon backup tape for thirty days. So we can review them and see exactly what happened

  • This is an environment governed by regulations

  • but it isn't black and white either.

  • You need to be flexible in applying the rules, to achieve the results

  • Every air traffic controller has had a time when they've thought, Boy that

  • was close!

  • But everyday brings a new sequence of aircraft and getting through it successfully

  • is really rewarding

I work for the Royal Australian Airforce

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