Air Traffic Controllers

RAFValentina

Air Traffic Controllers (Be you tower/ground, terminal radar or area radar) I can't be the only one on here!

How do you manage your time to get the phys in?

Personally, I try to go on lunchtimes and after work and do whatever I can and want to do on weekends!

Where do you work? Are your employers good about giving you time to exercise? Are your colleagues like -minded for this?

RAFValentina

Maybe I am the only one!

Natley

lol i was passing the newark airport and my friend and i were talking about your job! is it stressful?? whats a typical day for you?

RAFValentina

It can be stressful in training as everything is worse case scenario... Personally I love it and find it less stressful than what I was doing before (mechanical engineering). I love the challenge and problem solving of it and the satisfaction of being really expeditious and having everything working for me despite having a lot of aircraft on freq. It's most stressful when you have moments when something "appears" on your radar as "pop-up traffic" that has been below radar cover until that point and is in immediate confliction with one of your aircraft on frequency and you have very limited options for avoiding action. That said... in most cases, the a/c are not at the same height and still have miles of separation regardless, just not the standard separation required. It's also pretty bad when other controllers don't answer their phones for you to co-ordinate with their traffic so you can reduce separation minima. I love both Radar and Tower... both very different (ones looking at a screen, the other is out a window!) but both challenging and fun!

tekylla13

Hello. I'm a controller in NC for the DoD. We are open 24/7 and work the crazy rotating shifts. ugh! Its's a horrible schedule for exercising and eating right. =( I'm getting my exercise in just whenever I can. We get 3 hours a week of fitness time at work if theres enough coverage. I also have 2 girls age 2 & 8 so they keep me busy outside of work. The hardest part for me is the 3pm-11pm and the 11pm-7am shifts. I eat horribly and always want to snack on the 3-11. And I know my body hates the constant change in shifts, sleep, eating times. I think if I wasn't working this crazy schedule, I'd definately be at least 10 lbs lighter!

Natley

wow, thats sounds intense!! thank you for the work you do!

RAFValentina

I'd love to be 10lbs lighter too! The crew room is always full of cakes and biscuits too which is torture...especially around exam and results time!

BobinNC66

Private pilot, so really respect and need the controllers...is that worthy? lol