Conversation with Air Traffic Controller Anabela Pannunzio from ATC Argentina.

Mar 11, 2021

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS FROM ARGENTINA

This is a conversation with Argentinian Air Traffic Controller Anabela Pannunzio. The conversation is conducted by Orlando Coronel, Director General of Aerospace Systems and the objective is to reveal what our female colleagues think about Air Traffic Control. In the pictures also Luciana Battistesa, Valria Castro, Jesica Bocado and Mariana Sciarrini.

What are their challenges as women and how female air traffic controllers can inspire other young women to take the same career path.

HI ANABELA, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER?

The job was recommended to me by a friend who read an article announcing the recruitment of candidates for the career of Air Traffic Control. 

I was looking for a career and they just happened to suggest it at the right time. I hadn’t even considered it as an option before that point, but the more I looked into the role the more I realized it would be a great fit for me.

AND HOW DID IT TURN OUT? DO YOU LIKE BEING AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER?

Yes Orlando, I do. I love the challenging nature of my work and its diversity of tasks . You go from sequencing commercial passenger jets, to assisting police or ambulance aircraft, handling VIP aiplane or supporting military fighters. Some flights are VFR, some others are IFR. 

Sometimes, the work shift goes quiet and relatively relaxed due to the fact that; with time and practice, we get used to recognize some operational patterns and we react to them with controlling routines. In other words, we learn what to do and when to do it applying automatic responses as second nature. 

Then a sharp traffic peak, bad weather, communication problems, an emergency or any situation that involves high risk, interrupts your relative quietness, pumping out stress, demanding objectiveness, and perfect execution.

Remember, we are responsible for getting as many planes as possible landing or taking off, given operational or resource constraints like "runways." 

Being overly cautious in ATC can cost airspace users a great deal of money, as well as delays to the passengers. So, there's a strong incentive to allow as many aircraft to land and takeoff per hour as possible. This raises the stakes, as you have more opportunities to fail to properly acquire situational awareness, judge adequately, and provide ATM services timely and accurately to that large volume of aircraft.

It's a great job!

HOW IS THE JOB OF AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER?

Every day we start with an operational briefing about past, present and forecast weather that may affect your sector. 

We check the status of radio frequencies, monitoring or surveillance equipment, NOTAMs, NAVAIDS, and traffic contition in order to take over the shift.

Once we take over, we spend the rest of the shift controlling and separating live air traffic within our designated airspace to minimize delays and maximize safety. 

Maintaining radio and telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, and other area control centers in order to coordinate aircraft movement.

Or providing flight path changes to pilots flying in bad weather or in emergency situations.

Our job allows us to work together with Air traffic controllers from some other countries, airport staff, meteorolists, telecommunication technitians among many others and airspace users. We all team up to manage the safe and orderly flow of aircraft , out of, and between airports. That itself is both; a major personal and professional accomplishment.

We enjoy at work trying new ideas, working with people from all over the world, being exposed to new technologies and better ourselves in order to deliver the expected job requirements. We love developing our skills and helping to foster the growth of our team, and overall, we enjoy the sense of satisfaction that comes with using our knowledge and skills to help aircraft crews and passengers to get from departure to destination safely. 

If we make a mistake it is usually readily apparent. Unlike other professionals, everything we do is a matter of official and public record and is constantly scrutinized by the public opinion and the press. After any incident or accident, records of what transpired are reviewed by incident/accident investigators to determine where things went wrong. Voice recordings, flight progress strips, testimonials and surveillance data are also systematically audited.

On the flip side, we are paid decently. We have nice benefits. When we unplug our headsets at the end of the day we are caught up and are generally not taking projects home with us. Our employer (the Air Navigation Service Provider) is not likely to go out of business.

The hard part is stress, the expectation that you must perform perfectly, most ATC facilities are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so rotating shift work is a job requirement, our job is highly related to external factors that we have little or no control, such as; weather, airworthiness of aircraft, status of NAVAIDS or communication systems. 

Our career affects the way we behave. For example... Our entire working day consists of us issuing instructions and people saying, "Yes, Sir," "Roger, or WILCO" (I will comply ) and doing what we tell them to do. 

Our career turns most of us into impatient, commanding people. NOT ME I'm cordial and sweet... LOL. I guess growing accustomed to the immediate compliance of our directions doesn't often translate well into personal relationships. Not surprisingly the divorce rate among controllers in some countries is rather high. 

Our job is actually very interesting. 

We get a lot of respect and recognition from the aviation industry, the general public, our families, and friends.

ANABELA, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE; HOW DO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS DEAL WITH STRESS?

I can’t speak for everyone, but today's trend for my generation is probably; WE WORK HARD IN ATC, AND WE PLAY HARD. 

There are many sources of stress related to our operational aspects. such as:

• Peaks of traffic workload
• Time deficit
• Limitation and reliability of technical equipment
• Emergency situation
• Unfavourable working conditions, etc.

So, an important skill for air traffic controllers is to hone it so that we can adequately cope with stress and prevent it from overwhelming our ability to respond properly at work. 

First, we strive to recognize the potential signs and symptoms of stress.

Then we are proactive in removing the cause of stress by removing ourselves from the stressful situation and doing recreative activities that help us drain the negative effects of long term stress.

Actually, there is a large number of us who are into extreme activities such as motorcying, skydiving, scubadiving, boating, hiking, trekking, rafting, traveling, racing cars, etc. 

We constantly kid around to drain stress and keep our mood cheerful, energetic and vigorous.

Of course not everybody is the same. For those who sadly choose drugs, alcohol, the end is dark because the ANSPs are intolerant to those choices and your well-being will be compromised sooner than later.

ANY LAST WORDS FOR THE AUDIENCE, ANABELA?

Yes, to wrap it up... the satisfaction of accomplishing our goals, making connections, growing professionally because of educational content provided by our training system and daily experience, plus serving the aviation community, our families, our society, our country and ourselves makes all the stress, personal sacrifices, and craziness worth it!

If Air Traffic Control isn’t a dream career, I don’t know what is!

THANK YOU ANABELA AND ALL OUR FEMALE COLLEAGUES FROM ARGENTINA.

AS ALWAYS YOU ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL, SMART, DISCIPLINED AND CHARISMATIC.