How did you become a Air Traffic Controller (ATC)?
After a few psycho-technical and job related tests, (former swisscontrol) proposed me to join a 36 months lasting student course.
The first year, I had a lot of theory lessons about legislation, aerodynamics, aircraft recognition and other ATC subjects followed by a period of simulator training.
Then, all the students (around 40) of my class were transferred to the final location, either Bern or Lugano. We had also few students working for military airports.
After two more years of on the job training, under surveillance of a confirmed and trained coach, I got my license to work alone on the different sectors at the tower and approach-sector in Geneva.
What would your suggestion be for improving flight punctuality in general?
As a passenger you can contribute to more punctuality by being ready early enough at the gate. This measure helps the companies to leave the stand on time and meet the given departure slot.
If a flight is delayed due to a missing passenger, the company has to announce the delay to the flow management and the departure slot is lost. As it is a last-minute change, this flight will get the next available slot which can be hours later. The principal of the slot allocation is always “first come, first served”.
The second suggestion would be to be patient, as a flight is much safer, economically and ecologically while waiting on the ground than doing holding patterns close to the overloaded destination.
