FROM JOB FAIR TO CONTROL TOWER
Ms Ilyana joined CAAS in 2012 after discovering the role at a university job fair. A National University of Singapore graduate with a degree in project management, she had no aviation background and thought she would not qualify for the job.
But this was not the case – CAAS welcomes applicants from any academic discipline, said director of air traffic services Vincent Hwa.
The key qualities of an air traffic controller extend beyond academic credentials, he told CNA. They are selected for qualities like sharp cognitive skills, spatial awareness and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Applicants undergo aptitude tests, personality assessments and interviews. Of the 1,000 to 1,200 applications received each year, only 50 to 60 are selected as probationary ATCOs.
New recruits undergo about 18 months of rigorous training at the Singapore Aviation Academy, comprising theory, simulator sessions, on-the-job training and a final validation check. ATCOs are eventually streamed into one of three roles: area, approach or aerodrome.
Ms Ilyana is an area ATCO, managing aircraft during the final climb and the cruising phase. She is also responsible for assigning safe cruising flight levels to aircraft and coordinating handovers between regional air traffic control centres.
Approach ATCOs handle aircraft transitioning between cruise and landing or take-off, and are also responsible for lining up aircraft for landing at Changi Airport, while aerodrome ATCOs oversee air traffic at Changi Airport and Seletar Airport, controlling the take-offs, landings and ground movements within the airport area.
Remaining calm is one of the toughest aspects of training, said Ms Ilyana. “You have to calculate a lot of things really fast and accurately. You need to know which information is crucial at that point of time.”
Excluding trainees, CAAS currently has about 500 ATCOs, and Ms Ilyana has been one since 2013. The oldest ATCO is 67 years old and the youngest 24 years old.
