SINGAPORE: Sitting in an air-conditioned control room, air traffic controllers may not look like they’re in the thick of the action – but theirs is one of the most intense and high-stakes jobs in aviation.
For 36-year-old master air traffic control officer (ATCO) Ilyana Nabilah, every shift comes with the responsibility of keeping hundreds of lives safe in the sky.
“There’s no room for error in this job. We really have to put safety ahead of everything else,” she said.
While Hollywood-style emergencies are rare, ATCOs regularly navigate real-world crises – from weather disruptions and medical emergencies to sudden surges in air traffic.
During one shift, Ms Ilyana had to redirect a flight back to Singapore after a passenger suffered a heart attack onboard. She coordinated with the Changi Airport control tower and activated emergency medical services on the ground.
“It’s through years of training and following certain protocols that help us keep calm,” she said.
Even with rigorous systems in place, the consequences of lapses are real. In January, a collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet near Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport killed 67 people.
While investigations are underway, reports have indicated that understaffing at the control tower could be a factor.
Such incidents underscore the critical need for well-trained air traffic controllers – a need that is only set to grow.
With Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 expected to open in the mid-2030s, increasing the airport’s capacity by more than 50 per cent, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) anticipates a 40 per cent rise in demand for ATCOs.
FROM JOB FAIR TO CONTROL TOWER
Ms Ilyana joined CAAS in 2012 after discovering the role at a university job fair. A National University of Singapore graduate with a degree in project management, she had no aviation background and thought she would not qualify for the job.
But this was not the case – CAAS welcomes applicants from any academic discipline, said director of air traffic services Vincent Hwa.
The key qualities of an air traffic controller extend beyond academic credentials, he told CNA. They are selected for qualities like sharp cognitive skills, spatial awareness and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Applicants undergo aptitude tests, personality assessments and interviews. Of the 1,000 to 1,200 applications received each year, only 50 to 60 are selected as probationary ATCOs.
New recruits undergo about 18 months of rigorous training at the Singapore Aviation Academy, comprising theory, simulator sessions, on-the-job training and a final validation check. ATCOs are eventually streamed into one of three roles: area, approach or aerodrome.
Ms Ilyana is an area ATCO, managing aircraft during the final climb and the cruising phase. She is also responsible for assigning safe cruising flight levels to aircraft and coordinating handovers between regional air traffic control centres.
Approach ATCOs handle aircraft transitioning between cruise and landing or take-off, and are also responsible for lining up aircraft for landing at Changi Airport, while aerodrome ATCOs oversee air traffic at Changi Airport and Seletar Airport, controlling the take-offs, landings and ground movements within the airport area.
Remaining calm is one of the toughest aspects of training, said Ms Ilyana. “You have to calculate a lot of things really fast and accurately. You need to know which information is crucial at that point of time.”
Excluding trainees, CAAS currently has about 500 ATCOs, and Ms Ilyana has been one since 2013. The oldest ATCO is 67 years old and the youngest 24 years old.
