An air traffic control system is composed of people together with the apparatuses which is basically concerned and responsible for the safety of commercial and private aircraft during actual operations.
The main work of an air traffic controller is to organize and manage the movement of air traffic so that planes and other aircrafts are on the safe position. Air craft controllers must not only promotes safety but also promotes efficiency. In other words they must control planes in the most efficient manner in order to avoid delays on flights.Moreover, air traffic controllers organize the flow of aircrafts in the airport.
Using equipments like the radar and visual observation they can monitor check and guide each plane for the safety of the planes and most importantly the pilots. Also, controllers give pilots reminders and updates about weather and sky conditions.Photo courtesy Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)Air traffic controllers in an airport towerAir traffic controllers adopt a certain procedures for advancement. At airports, they supply data to the pilots regarding flight and airport information.Air traffic controllers basically work a total of 40 hours a week but overtime is allowed.
Because of the fact that most control towers and center are open 24 hours a day, rotation of controllers is required. Some are assigned in night shifts, others are on weekend basis. However, during peak hours, controllers are required to works in the most efficient and fastest manner. Careful operation and concentration must be observed properly to ensure the safety of the passengers and aircrafts.Aircraft accidents are inevitable. We cannot know when and where this accident will happen.
The only question we can post is “Who is to be blamed?”In some cases, air traffic controllers are blamed for the planes and aircrafts accidents. In September 10, 1976, an Inex Adria DC-9 and a British Airways Trident 3B collide over Zagreb which killed all the passengers of both planes. An overworked Yugoslavian air traffic controller is accountable for that accident. He was not able to keep on track of the two planes hence giving no information about the current situation to the pilot. In the article entitled Mid-air Crash Over Zagreb Kills 176 by Patrick Mondout, the story goes like this.
At 10:13:53, the British plane received a call from the first controller telling them to maintain a flight level of 330 or equivalently 33,000 feet and that they are now passing Zagreb. Squawk Alpha 2332 replied that the request is acknowledged already.At 10:14:04, the second controller received a report from the Inex plane informing him that they are 325 crossing Zagreb, meaning they are 32,500 feet above Zagreb. The second controller was alarmed and tried to communicate with DC-9 and asking the crew of their current or present level.The Inex plane immediately responded and told the controller that they are 32,700 feet climbing. At 10:14:22, a response from the controller was received by Inex crew commanding them to maintain their present height and hoping that the two radars appear on the monitor which soon be merged will not collide with each other.
The alarmed crew of Inex asked the controller, “In what height?”The controller responded and told Inex that there is an aircraft in front of them and of the same height. Inex responded that they will be going to remain precisely in their current position, 33,000 feet. At 10:14:48, point on the controller’s radar screen soon merged. The controller contacted Inex but there was no response from the other side.
The tragedy had happened. The planes collided and crashed at the vicinity of Vrolec Village near Zagreb, Yugoslavia.The sunlight was in front of the Trident and the Inex was climbing up. Those factors triggered the accident because Trident cannot clearly see DC-9. The Trident plane on the other hand was deprived of the necessary data that will hopefully avoid the tragic event, because the controller did not successfully transfer the needed information.
