What Are The Problems Faced By Global Air Traffic Management?

Teresa Anderson
Jul 28, 2017 · 2 min read

With the rise in the airline industry and construction of new airports and runways, air traffic has increased dramatically in the past few years. It has put additional pressure on air traffic control system that handles thousands of flights per day. To avoid delays and collisions, air traffic management has to work efficiently. Many problems and challenges are faced by them. It is why aviation industry is taking help of human-centered solutions to achieve their ROI real operational impact.

Let us get acquainted with some of these challenges.

Communication

Air traffic controllers constantly need to intently listen to every single word said by pilots and other controllers. They need to be aware that what is going on in their space as well as other sectors around them. If a problem arises, they need to act on it at the very moment. It puts a lot of pressure on air traffic controllers.

Weather

Another biggest issue for a controller is the weather. It adversely affects the work and function of air traffic control staffs. The more it is complex; the more workload is laden on them. A bad weather means a bad day for them.

Frequency congestion

Often simple things may turn complicated when there are too many persons are speaking on one frequency at a time. Each frequency can support only one person talking at a time, means either pilot or controller. A controller needs to master the flow of communication on that frequency.

Work

If an air traffic control is managing 50,000 flights daily; they have to handle many flights at the same time. It means checking the altitude so that they don’t collide against. Plus, multiple flights pass in the same route and during such situation if a flight face problem, they need to give special attention. However, the bigger problems occur when a passenger aircraft goes missing the radar range, or the radar of air traffic control goes down.

Noise

Aircraft noise and its impact on local communities is also a major problem that needs attention. In the upcoming years, with the rise in aircraft numbers, this issue is only going to trigger. It needs to make a balance between the needs of a country and managing the impact on local communities who are living close to airports.

Aircraft control system needs to be incredibly managed and well-prepared to make the propellation of aircraft safe.

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