The steady hiss of air conditioning and murmur of fuzzy radio transmissions filled the air as tiny blue blips—planes flying within the Boeing Field’s airspace—danced across two large radar screens in the Tower’s air traffic operations center. On this hazy August afternoon, you could see Beacon Hill to the east, the Seattle skyline to the north, and traffic crawling along I-5.
But the five air traffic controllers (ATCs) on duty weren’t interested in the views. They were too busy monitoring air space and intoning strings of letters and numbers over headsets to incoming and outgoing planes, occasionally using a pair of binoculars to get a closer look at what’s happening on the runway.
“That's Warren Buffet,” one of the controllers announced.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“There’s only a few people in the world who can afford that,” he responded, pointing to the $60 million Bombardier Global Express that just touched down on the runway underneath us.
Three air traffic controllers working in the tower at Boeing Field
Aside from these quick, quiet conversations, the scene inside the Boeing Field/King County International Airport (KBFI) Tower cab was unexpectedly serene, and worlds away from the chaos you may have seen depicted in Pushing Tin, a 1999 dramedy featuring fast-paced dialogues and action sequences on airport runways. Rodney Lindbeck, air traffic control manager at Boeing Field, demystified some of these misconceptions when he took my colleague and I behind the scenes at KBFI (Boeing Field Air Traffic Control Tower) to explain what it’s like being an ATC and how their work ensures that your travel plans go smoothly this holiday season.
During our tour, we learned that the 85-foot Boeing Field tower was built in 1952 and its design mirrors that of many other air traffic control towers: administrative offices on the lower floors, break rooms and quiet areas on the middle floors, and an operational control tower at the very top where all the action happens. This is where radar screens of all sizes display data that the controllers constantly monitor: distance between true north and magnetic north; levels of fog, which determine the location of the clearest, safest points on the runway; the location and speed of incoming and outgoing planes.
All of these operations are made possible by machines that are, to put it mildly, outdated. But the clunky, beige legacy systems are getting the job done and Lindbeck has navigated through the FAA’s bureaucratic approval processes to replace some of the outdated technology with newer, digital systems like the Surface Weather System (SWS) automated wind indicators along with altimeter readings, and a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) radar display that tracks weather and aircraft.
The Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System used at Boeing Field
This modernization process is part of why Rodney loves what he does, and his ability to move such projects forward stems from a passion for air traffic control and a dedication to his team.
“I wanted to be able to make changes and help younger people come along in this career field. I have so much passion for this job,” said Rodney, who has been working in air traffic control since he was eighteen years old. “I love to develop these younger people who will take over my position one day. The best part is growing and building a team.”
So, who are the young ATCs that constitute his team? On the day I visited, the men behind the controls seemed super laid back, and I asked Rodney if this is indicative of the kinds of people who are drawn to air traffic control.
“It’s a spectrum of personality types,” he replied. “Mainly type A, but some can be laid back. The people who succeed are those who are on their game and love adrenaline. They are focused, passionate and can take constructive criticism.”
And yes, they are good at math. “It’s the math they told you that you’d never use after high school,” joked one of the controllers. Rodney’s team routinely predicts a plane’s landing time based on its speed and distance from the tower—no calculators needed.
In addition to math skills, ATCs need to have excellent memories in order to internalize all the information necessary to talk to airplanes. The source of this information is FAA Order 7110.65 version X, what Rodney jokingly calls “the Bible” of air traffic control because of its immutable rules.
“Between two 737s you always need 3 miles of separation, that will never change,” said Rodney. This consistency is helpful for controllers who relocate to other towers. “Once you have the book down, it’s down to deleting what you previously knew, in terms of airspace and airport dimensions, and rewiring your memory for your new place.”
This process of deleting old information and learning anew can be made more difficult based on the kind of traffic that an airport monitors. SeaTac, for example, has a fairly homogenous repertoire of large commercial and cargo jets entering and exiting its airspace; KBFI, on the other hand, deals with both incredibly large planes and smaller private planes.
View of Boeing Field from the tower at KBFI
“We have lots of different kinds of airplanes to blend in,” said Rodney. “If you put a Cessna 152 behind a 737, you will need more spacing because there’s going to be turbulence. A Cessna 182 coming into Boeing Field normally only does 70-80 knots on final; but, if you have a Gulfstream behind that airplane, they normally do 200 knots, so you have to space them out and make sure to move them to smaller runways or be more creative.”
During their busiest seasons, Boeing Field sees about 700 to 750 operations (either a take-off or a landing) each day and SeaTac boasts over 1,400 operations daily. But no matter where ATCs are based, it’s their creativity and ability to stay cool under pressure that allows us to travel safely and efficiently. And wherever you’re flying this holiday season, Rodney and his team—along with air traffic controller everywhere—are looking out for you.
“Know that when you’re flying to see loved ones that we are in control and we will keep you safe,” said Rodney. “Have confidence in us and we will get you where you need to be.”
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of Aloft, The Museum of Flight's Member magazine. Become a Member to receive new issues of Aloft every other month!