Productivity Profiles - The Air Traffic Controller

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Productivity Profiles - The Air Traffic Controller





From the film "pushing Tin," with John Cusack we get an idea of some of the competences of an Air Traffic Controller: managing stress in a "focus and control" environment. A comment on amazon.com about the film states that the central theme of the film is that everybody makes mistakes how well they do in life. But that is not the issue here. The main question is: what does the Air Traffic Controller do?

The "Nature of the work," is linked to the air traffic control system which is a vast network of people and equipment "that ensures the safe operation of aircraft". Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of air traffic to make certain that planes stay a safe distance apart. Their immediate concern is safety, but controllers also must direct planes efficiently to minimize delays (1). That is one of the main reasons why the work is stressful: the controller must reconcile this implicit conflict.

There are different types of controllers with different levels of complexity which makes it possible to grow by experience from one function and role into a next one; the list doesn't show this complexity in order:

airport tower controllers or terminal controllers watch over all planes traveling through the airport's airspace
controller in the radar room
a ground controller in the tower directs planes along the taxiways to its assigned gate
enroute controller are invoked after departs by the airport tower controllers

Both airport tower and enroute controllers usually control several planes at a time...

The FAA has implemented an automated air traffic control system. This so-called NAS Architecture is a long-term strategic plan that will allow controllers to more efficiently deal with the demands of increased air traffic, and ... facilitates the continuing discussion of modernization between the FAA and the aviation community (1)

The work environment is characterized by speed and efficiency and "total concentration" and accuracy in offering the right information to pilots. "The mental stress of being responsible for the safety of several aircraft and their passengers can be exhausting." And this stress can be increased in situations of darkness.

Organizing resources -- reserving controllers and allocating them to activities -- is a complex activity on itself for the 7*24 availability requirements and matching these with the requirements of the employees (in getting sufficient rest). This is similar to a hospital environment where specialist must rotate to foster a continuous business.

The market for air traffic controllers is a professional market where qualifications (certifications) matter; these qualifications are standardized. Other competences (from the same source) include:

articulating quickly and clearly
intelligence
a good memory (as "controllers constantly receive information that they must immediately grasp, interpret, and remember")
Decisiveness
The ability to concentrate facing distractions

Growth in air traffic control is offered by the increasing complexity of the various traffic control roles that are required in the overall process. Professionals can literally starts at the ground and move up.

Now what does this mean to the productive elements of the job? I would summarize the productive role of the traffic controller with a parallel to another existing role: that of the real time translator; he (m/f) must in real time find matching words that link parties together so that both understand each other. This is a stressful job, where no mistakes can't be afforded because it will delay the main business process. Obviously, in this parallel there is no danger and risk involved therefore another parallel could be the one of the online-risk manager; who can calculate risk and inform people about it in real time. In both roles; the productive focus is on brokerage, (a third parallel) like a trader in the financial world.

(1) - http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos108.htm

© copyright 2009 Hans Bool

For more information on productivity and a simple test to determine key performance indicators, have a look at: the productivity test

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Hans_Bool/15600


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1859139





_(By Hans Bool).

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