Air traffic controller at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands
•Communication is a vital part of the job: controllers are trained to focus on the exact words that pilots and other controllers speak, because a single misunderstanding about altitude levels or runway numbers can have tragic consequences. Controllers communicate with the pilots of aircraft using a push-to-talk radiotelephony system which has many attendant issues, such as the fact that only one transmission can be made on a frequency at a time and can either merge or block each other and become unintelligible.
•Although local languages are used in ATC communications, the default language of aviation worldwide is English. Controllers who do not speak English as a first language are generally expected to show a certain minimum level of competency with the language.
•Teamwork plays a major role in a controller’s job, not only with other controllers and air traffic staff, but with pilots, engineers and managers.