ATC is a demanding job. How many aircraft can a controller be responsible for at the same time?

How close together will they be on approach %26amp; landing?


Is it stressful looking at blips on a screen all day at a busy airport? Are the working hours too long?ATC is a demanding job. How many aircraft can a controller be responsible for at the same time?
Go here: http://www.fly.faa.gov/Products/AADC/aad鈥?/a>





Enter any major airport you want and see the exact demand.





Go here: http://www.natca.org/





and read what the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has to say about who and what causes the stress and congestion.





Go here: http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/media鈥?/a>





to see a report from the FAA on ';moving America Safely.';ATC is a demanding job. How many aircraft can a controller be responsible for at the same time?
Jason really did nail it.





It's not that stressful looking at radar targets for the shift. We take a few breaks during the day and move to different sectors upon our return that we are qualified to work at.





During one particularly, but very rare period some 3 years back, my radar associate counted about 48 radar targets in our sector. He said afterwards he missed a few because of an incoming landline call.





This is a great website for anyone not familiar with how the US air traffic control system works.





http://travel.howstuffworks.com/air-traf鈥?/a>
An Enroute controller may have dozens. However the computer system alerts him/her of any potential traffic conflicts well in advance of them actually happening. There is a predictive portion of the software that moves aircraft positions out and ensures that no aircraft will come within 5nm of each other laterally.





On approach (which is handled by the appropriately named ';approach controller';) spacing may be a little as 2.5 nm, but only if aircraft are able to visually able to separate themselves from each other. This is done by the use of the phrase ';traffic in sight'; from the pilots. If the pilots do not have the preceding traffic in sight, they may not use the tighter spacing.





Comair: Those rules do exist. Air traffic controllers have duty regulations that are very similar to pilots'





Stuttgart: Just so you know, I'm only answering this to get my 2 points, and maybe to get a few thumb's ups from other participants on this site. You have spent weeks looking for something in the aviation system that is fatally flawed and picked apart every system you have thought of. The system is certainly not perfect, but there are no quick and easy fixes. No magic spell if suddenly going to eliminate 100% of the risk of flying. Thats a fact all of us that work in the industry have come to terms with years ago. Did you know you are not approximately as likely to die in an air accident in the US as you are to be struck by a meteor? Maybe we should all carry iron umbrellas now just to be safe. There comes a certain point where beating a dead horse just becomes an exercise in futility. Stop wasting your time and move on to a new topic.
finally your making sense





here my option i think that Air traffic controllers do work to many hours and thus accidents are born.





ATC is a Very stressful job especially if they work as a tower or ground controller at a bust airport. i think there should be a requirement that air traffic controllers cant work more than a certain number of hours a day, a month and a year just like a pilot and just maybe some accidents can be prevented.
well if you're working in the area control service, you might have up to 11 airplanes which you control.


and congratulations, your question isn't that stupid as the other ones..
Jason nailed it.