The Importance of Air Traffic Control in Aviation Essay Sample

On a basic level, ATC is needed in aviation to provide safety to pilots all across the sky. They are an airman’s last line of defense. Looking deeper at the issue, ATC plays a vital role in more than just aviation safety, from logistics, to troubleshooting, and even from a financial standpoint. Obviously, aviation safety is the main reason for the creation of ATC when in the 1920’s and flight was taking off, midair collisions were something that just happened without much consequence. The British were the first to utilize radios to maintain contact with aircraft, with the rest of the world soon following. Fast forward to today and there are over 20,000 flights per day in the United States alone, something that would not be remotely safe if ATC was not in control of the skies. Some of the busiest airspace in the world can be found over Lakeland, Florida and Oshkosh, Wisconsin during the week’s of their fly-in’s and air shows. Logistically speaking, without Air traffic control’s close monitoring, many people would never dream of attending events like this, as there are simply too many airplanes to compete with. Watching ATC thread tens of aircraft into one runway, sometimes landing two or three at the same time is a thing of beauty and one of many ways the ATC is responsible for the functionality of aviation. In an inflight emergency, even the best training will only get a pilot so far, and some of aviation’s greatest miracles can be accredited to the help of ATC. In September of 2019, during a student pilots first ever flight, their CFI became incapacitated, leaving the completely inexperienced pilot in sole control. With the help of ATC, who had previous training in aircraft, the folks on the ground were able to help the student land safely home and walk away from a harrowing experience. This exact situation has played out multiple times before and since, and is just another way that ATC is pivotal in a pilots arsenal when dealing with an unfamiliar situation. The aviation/travel industry is one of the largest financial sectors in the United States, and without ATC, it simply would not be what it is. Air Traffic Control allows for more flights to be airborne, thus generating more revenue for airlines, and other businesses associated with flight like hotels and rental cars. The government knows this to the point they will avoid a strike from ATC at almost any cost. The loss of ATC at large airports like JFK, LAX, or ATL could result in losses totaling millions of dollars, and thus the FAA is usually all ears when negotiating with ATC unions. In my option, ATC will be needed for as long as pilots are the ones flying the airplane. Though automation is rapidly taking over, especially in the transportation sector, air traffic control will continue to have a human factor, as it is the only way to maintain safety. When it comes to menial tasks like accepting an IFR clearance or picking up and ATIS, many next generation aircraft like the Airbus 320 and 737max are able to communicate with servers without pilot input. However, with regards to takeoff clearances, taxi instructions, and other communications that need to be made on the fly, pilots and ATC will need to be in constant connections in order to maintain safety. The ability to communicate advanced instructions, in a time of intense pressure like an emergency cannot be replicated by computers and voice to voice explanations will be needed to maintain safety. Air traffic control and aircraft dispatch are often underappreciated in the aviation industry for the sole reason that they are never in the limelight. Without the help of the guys on the ground, flight would not be how it is today.