Who is Amy Aviation?
Amy is mad about everything aeronautical (that means everything to do with planes)!
She know’s everything there is to know about planes and loves to sharing her knowledge – when she’s not busy flying around.
Watch this video all about air traffic controllers…
After that you should have a good idea about what air traffic controllers do and why they’re important.
What is an air traffic controller?
Air traffic controllers manage all the planes in the sky.
If you think about when your parents are driving a car there are lots of signs and indicators for them to follow to keep you safe,
These might be traffic lights, road signs or speed bumps.
In the sky you can’t have signs floating around so the air traffic controllers make sure every plane is following the rules and doing what it should be doing.
They have to do things like manage when planes take off and land so they don’t all try and land at the same place at the same time.
How do air traffic controllers keep track of all the planes?
They use the best technology to keep track like radar and satellites as well as talking to the pilots via a radio.
What did pilots do before air traffic controllers?
They were basically on their own up in the sky with no guidance!
All they had were flags and lights on the airfield to guide them on when and where to land the plane.
How do you become and air traffic controller?
You need to get trained at the NATS in Fareham.
NATS stands for ‘National Air Traffic Service’ and this is where you learn how to be an air traffic controller.
Your mission is to complete this quiz and see how much you know about air traffic controllers
What is the main job of an air traffic controller?
- To manage all the planes in the sky and keep them safe
- To fly the planes
- To serve drinks to passengers
- To fix the plane engines
What do air traffic controllers use to keep track of planes?
- Radar and satellites
- Binoculars and maps
- Flags and lights
- Spotters on the ground
How do air traffic controllers talk to pilots?
- By radio
- By sending letters
- By using a telephone
- By shouting really loudly
Before air traffic controllers, what did pilots use to help them land?
- Flags and lights on the airfield
- Satellite navigation
- Mobile phones
- Other pilots telling them what to do
What does NATS stand for?
- National Air Traffic Services
- New Airplane Training School
- National Aviation Test Site
- North American Transport System
Where do air traffic controllers work?
- Control towers and air traffic control centres
- Railway stations
- At home
- Airport shops
What might happen if there were no air traffic controllers?
- Planes might crash into each other
- Planes would fly faster
- Planes would not need pilots
- Planes would fly higher
Which of these is NOT something an air traffic controller does?
- Cook meals for the passengers
- Manage when planes take off and land
- Make sure planes follow the rules
- Talk to pilots by radio
Why can't we have signs floating in the sky like road signs?
- Because they would float away and be dangerous
- Because they would be too heavy
- Because planes fly too fast to see them
- Because they would block the sun
What is an air traffic controller's main goal?
- To keep planes safe and organised
- To make planes fly faster
- To sell plane tickets
- To design new planes
