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| An air traffic controller operates an air traffic communication system at Gimpo International Airport's control tower, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Airports Corp. |
Air traffic controllers busier as international travel resumes
By Lee Hae-rin
Distractions are not allowed for air traffic controllers, as one tiny mistake can lead to catastrophe. The safety of passengers and crew members of flights flying in and out of Gimpo International Airport hinges on them.
Due to the pressure, they are attentive all the time. Strangely, however, few of them say they are stressed out. Their intense concentration while on duty pays off as they are given an extra perk: they feel an immense thrill when things go well.
"As air traffic controllers, we see hundreds of aircraft flying in and out every day, but we never get bored," Do Jin-yeol, the general manager of apron control management at Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) said at the control tower, Tuesday. "It still gives us a thrill, especially on days with a beautiful sunset."
Forty meters off the ground, the control tower has a panoramic view of the airport's runways and apron, which is where planes are parked, fueled and boarded. A team of three controllers communicate with pilots via a voice-based radio system to confirm approval for their landing and departure.
Their job is to make sure planes fly in and out of the airport safely and quickly and thereby convene the passengers' travel behind the scenes. The tower is run by a crew of 18 air traffic managers and controllers, divided into four teams and split between two shifts.
The job requires professional education at the aviation training center and national qualifications for air traffic control. Less than 500 people in the country are licensed to do this work.
Their responsibility to guard the airport's safety involves intense concentration. While on duty, the controllers keep their guards raised, leaving no room for stress or second thoughts.
Also, the key to their particular duty is teamwork, according to KAC apron control department manager Kim Se-eun. "Controllers need to have their eyes and ears open to one another at all times and work together. Only with good teamwork can air traffic control go smoothly, like the river flows."
Thus, the greatest reward for the controllers comes at the end of the day with no accidents or complaints. "To keep everything normal and under control at the airport, that's our job," Do said.
The airport and its controllers have seen the airport unprecedentedly empty in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the organization is preparing to return to busy days as international flights resume.
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| Seen is a view from Gimpo International Airport's control tower showing planes parked at the apron, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Airports Corp. |
As international travel recovers, the KAC will manage air traffic at Gimpo International Airport to enhance safety and efficiency in airport operations, starting from Thursday.
Since 1961, the airport's traffic operation had been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. As a safety enhancement measure, the government expressed the need for dividing tasks within the organization.
"Due to the nature of air traffic control work, the subdivision of tasks raises both safety and accuracy," Kim explained regarding the background of the initiative.
In response, the organization has developed the infrastructure necessary for operation over the years and acquired the Air Traffic Services Certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in March.
The KAC's apron control management department will control the traffic of vehicles, and international and domestic jets at the moving area of the airport's apron.
The organization operates 14 international and domestic airports nationwide, except for Incheon International Airport, and provides integrated aviation services.
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