Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.

Other names for Air Traffic Controllers: Air Route Controller, Air Route Traffic Controller, Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Air Traffic Controller, Air Traffic Controller (Enroute Option), Air Traffic Controller (Tower Option), Air Traffic Coordinator, Air Traffic Supervisor, Aircraft Communicator, Airport Traffic Controller, Airway Controller, Airway Traffic Controller, Airways Control Specialist, Airways Operations Specialist, Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Chief Controller, Communications Operator, Communicator, Control Tower Operator, Dispatcher, Flight Communications Officer, Flight Control Specialist, Flight Dispatcher, Flight Radio Officer, Flight Radio Operator, Flight Service Specialist, Flight Tower Dispatcher, Ground Control Approach Technician (GCA Technician), Signal Tower Operator, Station Air Traffic Control Specialist, Tower Air Traffic Control Specialist, Tower Control Operator,

• Inform pilots about nearby planes as well as potentially hazardous conditions such as weather, speed and direction of wind, and visibility problems.
• Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
• Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency and when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
• Direct pilots to runways when space is available, or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
• Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
• Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance and baggage vehicles, and airport workers.
• Determine the timing and procedures for flight vector changes.
• Maintain radio and telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, and other area control centers in order to coordinate aircraft movement.
• Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, and other information.
• Initiate and coordinate searches for missing aircraft.
• Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes.
• Relay to control centers such air traffic information as courses, altitudes, and expected arrival times.
• Inspect, adjust, and control radio equipment and airport lights.
• Conduct pre-flight briefings on weather conditions, suggested routes, altitudes, indications of turbulence, and other flight safety information.
• Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, and maps in order to determine air routes.
• Organize flight plans and traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace.
• Review records and reports for clarity and completeness, and maintain records and reports as required under federal law.
• Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft.
• Issue landing and take-off authorizations and instructions.
• Monitor and direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space and on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
• Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, and visual references.
• Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, and observations.

• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Binoculars
• Aircraft communication systems
• Desktop computers
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft flight simulators or trainers
• Two way radios
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft communication systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Mainframe computers
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Aircraft navigation beacons
• Personal computers
• Radarbased surveillance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft guidance systems
• Aircraft communication systems
• Aircraft communication systems
• Aircraft guidance systems

Expert system software

Flight control software