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Controller Profiles: Kevin DeBenedittis
"My father was a controller. When I was small, he would often take me to work with him, and let me sit at a control position and play with a few of the knobs. I was fascinated with it and always wanted to do what my Dad did. Also, though I loved airplanes, I was actually afraid to fly. This was the next best thing to being in one all the time." How did you become an air traffic controller? "Knowing at an early age what I wanted to do as a career, I set out after high school to meet the requirements to take the civil service exam for air traffic. There's a three year requirement of either military, college or work time. Ultimately, I got a job and three years later signed up to take the exam. It did take two more years, but the FAA finally hired me in May 1984." Describe a typical day. "Our day can start at either 7 a.m., 2 to 3 p.m, or even 11 at night. Our shifts range from very busy to pretty slow but, either way, we do our jobs as if it were the same volume of traffic. I've always marveled at how controllers can work the busiest traffic while keeping up with everything that's going on around them. We don't even miss the jokes." What's the best part of your job? "Working with people who love to do the job as much as you do. Controllers complain like at any other job, but most often our complaining is because we know things could run more efficiently, so we say so. But the bottom line is we wouldn't ever want to do anything else." "The most rewarding experiences I've had, aside from actually sitting and controlling airplanes, have all come from the opportunities my union has afforded me. It has allowed me to become involved, influence and ultimately impact my own working conditions far more than the FAA. For this, I am most grateful." What's unique about the facility where you work? "Many of the controllers at Albuquerque are not from New Mexico, and the diversity of people makes it very interesting. In addition, we handle traffic, including military aircraft, from a variety of locations because Albuquerque Center is located between Fort Worth Center and LA Center, and is just below Denver Center. We work planes going to and from these three facilities, along with Atlanta and all the New York airports, among others." Why do you prefer working in your type of facility (tower, TRACON or center)? "I enjoy working at the center because I have the opportunity to see what is going on with air traffic in most of the country. It's hard to tell what's happening in Atlanta when you're working at the Denver airport, but at a center you get to know about both. I do miss actually seeing the aircraft I'm working like you do at an airport. My current house sits on the airport's approach path, and I can sit outside and watch the jets fly over all day and never tire of it. The sound they make never bothers me either. The big jets, like the 747, still amaze me to this day." What are three important characteristics that you believe a controller needs? 1. "Quick Thinker" 2. "Ability to Multitask" 3. "Flexibility" What's the most challenging situation you've ever had to handle? "I had the unfortunate experience of having a military aircraft pilot tell me he lost his wingman. The other aircraft crashed during a low level training flight. The surviving aircraft climbed up into my airspace and began radioing me in a panicked voice saying he thought his wing man had 'gone down.' I calmed the pilot down and issued clearances for him to safely return to his base. In the end, we found out the aircraft had crashed and two pilots lost there lives. That's not an easy thing to handle, but we have to." Where do you go from here? Where do you see yourself in the future? "I love my job and will probably do it for another five years, but I hope to begin a second career as a school teacher when I'm done. Now that would be a big change! I'm sure I'll have more stress doing that then I've ever experienced as a controller." Main Menu |
