Is The Stress Too Much: Air Traffic Controllers
... the movement of airplanes to make sure they stay a safe distance apart (Occupational Outlook Handbook “Air Traffic Controllers”). The fist air traffic controllers used beacon lights to guide their aircrafts. Now, air traffic controllers have the assistance of GPS (Global Murphreee 2 Positioning System) and highly advanced radar and computers. They are highly paid for what they do; earning $82,520 as an annual average. All this, still does not ease the stress that is placed on these air traffic controllers. There are a few fatal accidents each year in which an air traffic controller seems to have made an error (Collins 190). They are responsible for hundreds of planes and thousands of lives a day. Being responsible for several aircrafts an their passengers can be exhausting for some persons (Occupational Outlook Handbook “Air Traffic Controllers). The overcrowding of airports adds to this stress. There are more than 440 air traffic control towers in the U.S. with five or more controllers in each tower (“Air Traffic Controllers 2: 77). Still, new airports and runways have not kept pace with the increase in air traffic (Freudenrich). “This has put excessive pressure on the air traffic control system to handle the nearly 50,000 flights a day, a number that is projected to increase in the future” (Freudenrich). Controllers must be very alert at all times. They may have to direct more than one plane at once and make sure that the pilots receive the correct instructions. The job is so intensely stressful that there is a mandatory retirement at the age of 56. Some air traffic controllers have even committed suicide after a fatal accident occurred (Pohlman). One obvious solution to ease the stress on air traffic controllers is increasing the number of controllers per airport. One controller per plane would be the ideal ratio and would help calm the nerves of these people. Only having to worry about one thing instead of five at once would be much less stressful and help prevent many accidents. Another solution to the problem would be to hire Murphree 3 counselors to analyze the minds of air traffic controllers. A counselor could study a stress filled mind and find o...