Military ATC

[jac1988]

Hello,

I'm thinking of going into the RAF as an ATC, but I've been trying to find a bit more about the role. My understanding is that the primary role of the ATC is organizing when air traffic will land or take off and managing traffic both in the air space around the airfield and traffic on the ground. I understand that there's a certain amount of airspace around the runway, and that traffic within this airspace is managed by the ATC (or at least this is my understanding of the civil ATC, though please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). What I'd like to know is who's responsible for the traffic after it's left this air space? Is it en route controllers stationed at centres like LATCC? With regards to the military role, who guides the planes through the combat zones, engages targets, etc?

Sorry if it sounds like I don't know what I'm talking about! I've been trying to find out as much as possible about the role, but am struggling to find out answers to these questions.

Thanks for your replies.

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Edit: By ATC I meant "Air Traffic Controller" - I didn't want to confuse the SNCO Air Traffic Controller role with the Air Traffic Control Officer role.

[andrijander]

Sounds like you got the basics, but it gets more complicated than that. The definition of ATC, in my book, goes something like (trying to remember, so not completely accuratte here):

-avoid collisions between aircraft
-avoid collisions between aircraft and obstacles
-provide an efficient, safe and expeditious flow of traffic
-blablabla

That's the basic. For civvies that is! In the military there are other roles which I believe you may be aware of. The way this work is done is by delegating responsablities through different units (towers, centers and even mobile units).

For explanation purposes I'll explain first the civilian side of things and then the military (albeit simplified).

Controllers are responsible, in most cases, since the moment the aircraft needs to switch on engines or want to start moving about the airport (ground control). Tower would be next and they control both ground areas and the runways. That's why they're in a tower, so they can see all the surfaces (and make sure that, for example, there isn't a car parked in the runway that a landing plane wouldn't see if it was a bit cloudy).

Then Approach/departure control takes over. This phase of the flight deals with climb to cruise or descent and therefore is considered separate from route or area control (which would come next and differs in that A/C performance is more stable once at cruise level).

Also there are different classifications of airspace. Some airspace is restricted to certain flights (mil only, controlled traffic only, free for all airspace, some grey areas in between, etc). For instance, when sunday flying your private little Cessna you can't just do a fly over Heathrow to take pictures since traffic in that TMA has to be controlled to avoid collisions (since it is so busy and the PAX of the airliners have to be protected, they pay for it!). Or at least i guess that is like that (most major airports is AFAIK).

It can be procedural control (pilots reports position regularly, you guess it's future position knowing heading/speed) or radar control (you don't trust the pilots and become big brother :} ).

In the military there's other special functions, like interception control (you have to get them closer rather than apart). Since I am not in the air force I'm afraid of saying anymore as I could say something stupid (do not like looking like that) so i'll leave the juicy details to the experts.

I know it's very basic but hope this helps.

All the best!

[chevvron]

In the RAF you're primarily an RAF Officer, and as such they can require you to train for any discipline even if you initially train for ATC. During or after ATC training for instance, they might decide you haven't got the aptitude and might re-train you as (for example) a supplier. Whatever you do you will get a secondary duty which will take up a lot if not all of your spare time. I remember meeting two guys at the same station, one of whom had failed ATC training and was being transferred to aircrew, and the other who had failed flying training and was transferred to ATC.

[jac1988]

Thanks for your replies guys, really very helpful. I'm actually looking at joining the RAF as an Air Traffic Controller rather than an Air Traffic Control Officer (namely because the latter aren't recruiting, but also because I've been informed it's more "hands-on" then the Office role, as you've also pointed out Chevvron).

Sounds like a really interesting career path.

[MancLad993]

jac1988,

All air traffic controllers, civil, military, SNCO or Commissioned Officer are normally known as Air Traffic Control Officers. It goes back a long time and there have been many threads discussing it, so just bear with any confusion.

Everything which Chevvron said is still valid as a SNCO ATCO you would still be expected to complete secondary duties in your own time to demonstrate that you have what it takes to gain promotion to the next rank. You would be an RAF SNCO first, ATCO second. You could still be asked to do something which is completely non-ATC e.g. station guard.

A more hands on role as a SNCO? Both SNCO's and Officers are expected to train, and validate, in each position at a unit with the exception of Supervisor (as this is reserved for Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers) and retain currency in accordance with unit procedures

In answer to a question in your first post, the people who direct the aircraft to engage targets and such, are Airspace Battle Managers a completely different trade.

A quick check on the RAF careers website and I saw a link to a social networking site, there is a specialist ATC recruiter there posting message about her experiences and also answering specific question's regarding the many options available.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[Amexgull]

My understanding is that the primary role of the ATC is organizing when air traffic will land or take off and managing traffic both in the air space around the airfield and traffic on the ground. I understand that there's a certain amount of airspace around the runway, and that traffic within this airspace is managed by the ATC
OK, most Mil units control acft whilst taxiing, taking off and landing and flying in the visual circuit. These are all controlled by the Tower and Ground controller (sometimes Tower does it all). If an aircraft leaves the immediate vicinity of the airfield i.e outside of 5 miles then the responsibility will be handed to a radar controller. Depending on the height the acft wishes to fly at will depend on what that radar controller does with it next. If the acft will transit at FL95 (9500 ft) or below then the radar controller will take it to the edge of their radar coverage (normally approx 40 miles) before handing it to an adjacent unit who will then take it further. However, if the acft wishes to operate above FL95 then the acft will normally be handed to an area control centre such as LATCC or ScATCC. As for danger areas etc they will have an operating authority who will control acft within that danger area but again this would be height dependant as to who would be likely to work the acft.
A more hands on role as a SNCO? Both SNCO's and Officers are expected to train, and validate, in each position at a unit with the exception of Supervisor (as this is reserved for Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers) and retain currency in accordance with unit procedures
However, as an SNCO you will have less time consuming associated duties and are therefore normally more of the coal face worker and exposed to more controlling and less admin/managerial tasking. That is not to belittle the input of the SNCO controller in any way. They are usually the safe pair of hands and relied upon heavily to assist in training new personnel and with experience and promotion (to WO) can now be both supervisors and Local Examining Officers ( a position historically only filled by an Officer)
If you want any more info then feel free to PM...