Air Traffic Controllers
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Job description
Air Traffic Controllers direct air and ground traffic in a given area.
Flight Service Specialists provide pilots with information to ensure flight safety.
Flight Dispatchers authorize airline flights on specific routes.
They work for:
- Airlines
- Private companies (e.g. NAV Canada)
- The Canadian Forces
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
Main tasks
Air Traffic Controllers
- Control air traffic in a given area.
- Transmit information and landing and take-off instructions to airplanes in flight.
- Maintain the link between control centres.
- Coordinate flight movement in close areas.
- Alert emergency services when an airplane is in trouble and report missing airplanes.
- Direct the movement of aircraft and ground vehicles on runways and adjacent manoeuvring areas.
Flight Service Specialists
- Inform the pilots to enable them to prepare their flight plan.
- Verify the accuracy of the flight plans and transmit them to the control station.
- Answer radio calls from airplanes ready to take off or land and provide them with information.
- Transmit requests for information and position reports.
- Notify emergency and search services when a device is in trouble or overdue.
- Observe, record, and report weather conditions at airports.
Flight Dispatchers
- Determine favourable routes considering weather conditions and other relevant factors.
- Delay or cancel flights if conditions are unsafe.
- Inform the crew about the planned itinerary.
- Sign the take-off clearance.
- Monitor the movement of airplanes in flight and communicate with them, as required.
- Prepare and maintain flight plans, flight follow-ups, and other reports.
Advancement and mobility
Air Traffic Controllers
- Required endorsements and experience allow the control of units with higher air traffic volumes.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Good
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
800
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 26.2% Female
- 73.8% Male
Not available.
- 26.2% Female
- 73.8% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$103,000
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 48, 4986% of jobs
-
NAICS 9111% of jobs
-
NAICS 232% of jobs
-
NAICS 612% of jobs
-
NAICS 612% of jobs
-
Others-1% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 48, 4986% of jobs
-
NAICS 9111% of jobs
-
NAICS 232% of jobs
-
NAICS 612% of jobs
-
NAICS 612% of jobs
-
Others-1% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
Secondary
Also required
- General certificate as Radiotelephone Operator.
- NAV Canada Training.
Air Traffic Controllers
- Air Traffic Control Specialist licence.
Sometimes required
- Basic computer knowledge related to the position is often required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Active listening
- Oral expression
- Information processing
- Judgment and decision-making
- Critical thought
- Result evaluation
- Solving complex problems
- Coordination
- Active learning
- Reading comprehension
- Time management
- Social perception
- System analysis
- Monitoring operations
- Teaching
- Systems evaluation
- Written expression
- Service oriented
- Learning strategies
Abilities
- Awareness of issues
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Selective attention
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Information processing speed
- Processing flexibility
- Speech clarity
- Time sharing
- Perception speed
- Distance vision
- Near vision
- Information organization
- Speech recognition
- Written comprehension
- Classification
- Auditory attention
- Visualization
- Written expression
- Idea generation
- Originality
- Mathematical reasoning
- Basic numeracy
- Memorization
- Colour perception and distinction
Knowledge and attributes
- Autonomy
- Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
- Capacity to work in a team
- Knowledge of telecommunications
- Rigour
- Sense of initiative
- Attention to detail
- Sense of observation
- Knowledge of public safety and security
- Knowledge of office work
Interests
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Watch, defend, and secure
- Work in transportation and maintenance
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Official name of the NOC 72601
Air traffic controllers and related occupations
Job titles
- Flight service specialist (fss)
- Flight operations officer
- Air traffic controller (atc)
- Chief air traffic controller
- Air traffic coordinator
- Flight dispatch assistant
- Airline dispatcher
- Air traffic control chief
- Air traffic control assistant
- Visual flight rules air traffic controller
- Instrument flight rules air traffic controller
- Tower controller - air traffic
- Airport air traffic controller
- Air traffic controller (atc) - canadian armed forces
- Terminal air traffic controller
- Enroute air traffic controller
- Air traffic control officer
- Aerospace control operator – canadian armed forces
Skill type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026
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