zippia ai icon

Automatically Apply For Jobs With Zippi

Upload your resume to get started.

Air Traffic Controller skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical air traffic controller skills. We ranked the top skills for air traffic controllers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 21.3% of air traffic controller resumes contained federal aviation administration as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an air traffic controller needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 air traffic controller skills for your resume and career

1. Federal Aviation Administration

Here's how air traffic controllers use federal aviation administration:
  • Provided safe, orderly and expeditious flow of vehicular, tactical military/civilian aircraft, utilizing Federal Aviation Administration policies/guidelines.
  • Air Operations Supervisor responsible for handling correct operational procedures according to Federal Aviation Administration regulations and Navy regulations.

2. Air Traffic Control

Here's how air traffic controllers use air traffic control:
  • Provided non-radar air traffic control services for military and civilian aircraft and execute and coordinate search and rescue/emergency actions when necessary.
  • Managed critical Air Traffic Control reference libraries, updating over 40 publications, ensuring safety-of-flight data accuracy.

3. NAS

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a storage device connected to a network that allows storage and recovery of data from a centralised location for users on an authorized network. Comparable to a private cloud NAS provides the benefits of an on-site public cloud but is faster and less expensive. Offering tremendous competitive advantages, it also provides increased levels of customer service and extends collaborative reach across a project. Effortless to operate NAS, provides granular security features along with uncomplicated data backup and, recovery making it a must-have for data management.

Here's how air traffic controllers use nas:
  • Operated Flight Data System directly connected to the NAS and coordinates with TRACON along with the ARTCC.
  • Awarded Navy/Marine Corp Achievement Medal for NAS Corpus Christi Junior Sailor of the Year 1997.

4. Maximize Safety

Here's how air traffic controllers use maximize safety:
  • Direct ground traffic including taxiing aircraft, maintenance vehicles, and airport workers to minimize delays and maximize safety.
  • Monitor and direct movement of aircraft within assigned air space to minimize delays and maximize safety.

5. CTO

CTO stands for Chief Technology Officer. CTO is an executive level position in a company that is focused on scientific and technical issues within an organization.

Here's how air traffic controllers use cto:
  • Achieved dual rating to work within two control facilities, including the UAAF FAA CTO Tower.
  • Head trainer on crew for two years, and trained 8 trainees to CTO certification.

6. Emergency Situations

Here's how air traffic controllers use emergency situations:
  • Ensured the safety of military aircraft operating in an area capable of producing an infinite variety of possible emergency situations.
  • Assisted aircraft during numerous emergency situations using radar and non-radar procedures.

Choose from 10+ customizable air traffic controller resume templates

Build a professional air traffic controller resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your air traffic controller resume.

7. IFR

IFR or Instrument Flight Rules refers to the rules and regulations regarding the flight of non-military civil aircraft. Just like there are traffic laws on cars and motorbikes, aircraft flights have their laws. The IFR guide works alongside the Visual Flight Rules or VFR to govern how aircraft should fly.

Here's how air traffic controllers use ifr:
  • Coordinated with arrival and departure authority for amending, re-routing, releases and filing IFR flight plans and international flight plans.
  • Control military and civilian aircraft in a Visual Flight rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight rules (IFR) environment.
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. On-The-Job Training

Here's how air traffic controllers use on-the-job training:
  • Conducted on-the-job training by providing control tower operational training to officer trainee personnel in direct support of the ATC officer-training program.
  • Established and supervised on-the-job training programs; prepared technical, personnel, and administrative reports.

9. DOD

Definition of Done (DoD) is a set of deliverables that are needed to devise software. These deliverables are valuable to the system and can be exemplified by writing code, coding comments, unit testing, integration testing, design documents, release notes, and so on.

Here's how air traffic controllers use dod:
  • Maintain and monitor professional development of 18 military and DoD controllers.
  • Formulated and issued air traffic clearances, control instructions, and advisories in accordance with FAA, DoD and local directives.

10. Expeditious Flow

Here's how air traffic controllers use expeditious flow:
  • Coordinated with host nation controllers/agencies; ensures safe/expeditious flow of civilian/military air traffic.
  • Maintained safe, orderly, expeditious flow of air traffic throughout the busiest event in the modern history of the airport.

11. Flight Data

Here's how air traffic controllers use flight data:
  • Flight Data Operator, coordinating with local controller for planned aircraft movement
  • Flight Data/Clearance Delivery - Over 1,200 hours providing flight assistance to aircraft such as props, Dash-8s, jets and E-6s.

12. Terminal Air Traffic

Here's how air traffic controllers use terminal air traffic:
  • Control Tower Supervisor: Controlled and regulated terminal air traffic within FAA regulations.
  • Apply knowledge of Terminal Air Traffic Control (ATC) Procedures, including tower, terminal, and radar procedures.

13. Radar Approach

Here's how air traffic controllers use radar approach:
  • Provided supervisory and management skills to promote smooth operations in Radar Approach control facilities.
  • Coordinated with Operations Control and Radar Approach to ensure safety during military operations.

14. Flight Operations

Flight operations refer to the activities within an airport that entails dispatching, flight planning, flight watch, weather data provision, and facilitating ground-to-air communication. They ensure proper integration of the airport crew, making appropriate schedules, and planning maintenance activities.

Here's how air traffic controllers use flight operations:
  • Prepared daily reports of military/civilian flight operations within the assigned airport traffic area.
  • Provide instructions for safe flight operations to pilots under Aircraft Carrier radar surveillance

15. Aircraft Movement

Here's how air traffic controllers use aircraft movement:
  • Directed tarmac and runway aircraft movements for maximum safety and minimal disruption or delays to scheduled and chartered airline operations.
  • Authorized military aircraft movement between altitude sectors and control centers in accordance with military and FAA policies and procedures.
top-skills

What skills help Air Traffic Controllers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

List of air traffic controller skills to add to your resume

Air Traffic Controller Skills

The most important skills for an air traffic controller resume and required skills for an air traffic controller to have include:

  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • Air Traffic Control
  • NAS
  • Maximize Safety
  • CTO
  • Emergency Situations
  • IFR
  • On-The-Job Training
  • DOD
  • Expeditious Flow
  • Flight Data
  • Terminal Air Traffic
  • Radar Approach
  • Flight Operations
  • Aircraft Movement
  • Computer Equipment
  • Military Aircraft
  • Expeditious Movement
  • Adjacent Facilities
  • USAF
  • Orderly Flow
  • Icao
  • NOTAMs
  • Aircraft Operations
  • Instrument Flight
  • Local Control
  • Navigational Aids
  • Stressful Situations
  • Clearance Delivery
  • Air Station
  • Weather Reports
  • Visual References
  • CIC
  • Pilot Reports
  • GCA
  • Civilian Aircraft
  • Safety Alerts
  • Alertness
  • Radar Equipment
  • Air Space
  • Weather Updates
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Aeronautical Charts
  • Medal
  • Visual Flight Rules
  • Ground Traffic
  • Tape Recordings
  • Maintained Training

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse transportation jobs