How to Become a Flight Controller
Flight controllers have the important job of facilitating space flights. They work in mission control centers or operations centers. Using computer monitors, flight controllers are able to oversee several aspects of a space mission. A flight controller will have expertise in a specific area, such as medical, technical or communications. It takes years of experience and a good educational background to become a flight controller.
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Instructions
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Become a Flight Controller
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Have a good high school background in mathematics, hard sciences and physics.
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Obtain a technical or engineering degree from an accredited college or university.
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Read the Flight Controller's Creed to fully understand the breadth and importance of the job (see Resources below).
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Earn a position with a mission operations organization or an operations contractor who works for an entity such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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Learn about your work intended work environment. A flight controller usually works in a mission control center. Discover this dynamic organization via NASA's website (see Resources below).
Learn the Appropriate Skills
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Understand the various flight control positions available. These usually include flight surgeon, flight director, public affairs officer, capsule communicator and mission operations director.
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Perfect your communication and people management skills. Flight controllers must be experts in communication and team building because they work and coordinate with groups within the same building and across the country.
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Learn to use telemetry. This technology is used by flight controllers and involves remotely measuring and transmitting information about various aspects of a space flight, such as heart rates or temperature readings.
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Tips & Warnings
Some flight controllers can move out of their positions to become flight directors or astronauts.
Realize that flight controllers tend to rotate in and out of their position. This is to avoid fatigue that could occur due to long hours of extreme concentration on space missions that can last numerous months.
The work of a flight controller can seem grueling at times. The shifts can last between eight and 12 hours, with only a few minutes break every 90 minutes.
Flight controllers need to be prepared for any emergency or contingency. They do this by routinely engaging in simulation training.
Even the smallest decision or action a flight controller makes can have serious consequences.
